Rights and Responsibilities
As a Barbadian Citizen or Permanent Resident you are entitled to:
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Receive health care on the basis of clinical need, regardless of your income.
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Treatment regardless of race, gender, age, disability or culture.
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Reasonable access to high quality service and facilities.
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Register for and access routine clinical care at a facility near to your home or designated catchment area.
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Information on your health status and the treatment options available as well as to make queries and to have those queries addressed. Time constraints and the requirement of additional information may result in an appointment at a later date to complete your request.
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Accept or refuse treatment as you see fit. This includes examinations, tests, diagnostic procedures, medication, operations, etc. You should also expect to be given an explanation of the possible consequences of not taking the advice given.
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Refuse to be examined or treated in the presence of a trainee healthcare worker. However please note that polyclinics play an important role in training various health professionals. Such training is important for the maintenance and development of the health system. Your care needs may provide an opportunity for such training, however you do have the right to decide who will be present while you are discussing or receiving your health care.
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Refuse to be involved in research conducted at the facility. If you do agree to be involved in a research trial, you can withdraw at any time.
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Information on the facility in your area and the services they provide. This may be provided in the form of an information leaflet.
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Confidentiality. Personal information about your health is confidential and should only be disclosed to those who need that information to provide you with effective treatment. If you feel that there has been a breach of your confidentiality you have the right to lodge a complaint with the management of the facility or with the Ministry of Health.
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Make a complaint about services received from any Ministry of Health facility whether these services were accessed at the facility or in the community. We would encourage you to first seek to have any issues addressed by the management on site of the institution. If you submit a complaint in writing you should normally expect to receive acknowledgement of receipt within six (6) working days as well as information with respect to resolution of matters of concern to you within three (3) weeks. If you are still not satisfied with the service or the response to a complaint you may proceed to have the Ministry of Health investigate the matter.
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You may be asked to sign a consent form acknowledging that you have consented to the treatment and that the treatment has been explained to you.
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You may also be asked to sign a document if you choose not to receive treatment that has been recommended by your healthcare provider.
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If emergency treatment is necessary to meet imminent risk to life or health, and you are not able to consent (for example, because you are unconscious) a medical practitioner can administer treatment without your consent, unless you have previously indicated that you refused consent to treatment.
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In cases where healthcare provider is of the opinion that your condition no longer warrants treatment they may arrange for your care to be discontinued. Normally if your healthcare provider is of the opinion that more appropriate care is available at another facility arrangements would be made for transfer.