Practice Guidelines for Seeking Consent to Care Facility Admission

• British Columbia
• Health Care Providers
• Law
• Capacity
• consent
• 2019

''There are a number of laws in British Columbia that aim to assist and protect the rights of adults who may be incapable of making their own decisions and may be in need of support. The Health Care (Consent) and Care Facility (Admission) Act (HCCCFAA) is the law that governs both consent to health care and consent to facility admission.

In BC, capable adults have the right to consent, withhold consent, or revoke consent to healthcare. According to Part 2 of the HCCCFAA, health care providers must seek and obtain consent before providing treatment. Similarly, Part 3 of the HCCCFAA requires consent before an adult is admitted into a care facility. While many features of consent to facility admission resemble those for consent to health care, seeking consent to health care and seeking consent to facility admission are separate and distinct processes with their own specific legal requirements. This document is focused on consent to care facility admission.

Practice Guidelines for Seeking Consent to Care Facility Admission (the Guidelines) is based on the legal requirements of Part 3 of the HCCCFAA, and on best practices in BC and other jurisdictions. The Guidelines describe processes for seeking consent to admission to a care facility and for conducting an incapability assessment if an adult seems unable to give or refuse consent to admission to a care facility.

Source: Government of British Columbia