In matters of health,
you have rights
WHAT ARE YOUR RIGHTS?
THE ACT PROTECTS USERS OF THE HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES SYSTEM
The right to be informed
You are entitled to be informed about the existing health and social services along with the resources available in your community and the conditions governing access to such services and resources.
Furthermore, you are entitled to be informed of your health and welfare condition, the available options with the risks and consequences generally associated with each option, before giving your consent to care.
You have also the right to be informed, in the earliest convenience, about any accident having occurred during the provision of services that has actual or potential consequences for your state of health or welfare and of the measures taken to correct the consequences suffered, if any, or to prevent such an accident from recurring.
The right to participate in decisions
You are entitled to participate in any decision affecting your state of health or welfare. You are entitled, in particular, to participate in the development of your intervention plan or individualized service plan where such plans are required.
The right to receive care in case of an emergency
Every person, whose life or bodily integrity is endangered, is entitled to receive the care required by his condition.
Every institution shall, where requested, ensure that such care is provided.
The right to give or refuse own consent
No person may be made to undergo care of any nature, whether for examination, specimen taking, treatment or any other intervention, except with his consent. The consent must be explicit, free and informed.
Consent to care or the authorization to provide care shall be given or refused by the user or, as the case may be, his representative or the court, in the circumstances and manner provided for in articles 10 and following of the Civil Code.
The right to have access to your file
Every person 14 years of age or over is entitled to access their file. You must yourself request the access to your file at the concerned institution.
However, the access might be momentarily refused if it's judged that the communication of your file or any part thereof might cause you serious prejudice. In that case, the institution, on the recommendation of a physician, shall determine the time at which the file or a part thereof to which access has been denied, can be communicated to you.
The right to select the professional or institution you wish to receive services from
You are entitled to choose the professional or institution from whom or which you desire to receive care from.
However, the infrastructure and availability of resources must be taken under consideration.
Nothing in the law restricts the freedom of a professional to accept or refuse to treat a person.
The right to exercise a recourse
You have the possibility to lay a complaint in several types of institutions. Furthermore, nothing in the Act respecting health services and social services restricts the right for a person or his successors to pursue a remedy against an institution, its directors, employees or servants or a professional due by a professional fault or other. In no case may such remedy be waived. The same applies to the right to pursue a remedy against a family-type resource.
No person shall take reprisals or attempt to take reprisals in any manner whatever against any person who makes or intends to make a complaint. It is the person responsible for examining the complaint to intervene without any delay upon being apprised of reprisals or of an attempt to take reprisals.
The right to receive services in English
Every english-speaking person is entitled to receive health services and social services in the English language. However, the organizational structure, human, material and financial resources of the institution providing such services and the extent provided by an access program must be taken into consideration.
The right to be accompanied and assisted
You have the right to be accompanied or assisted by the person of your choice when you wish to obtain information or take steps in relation to any service provided by an institution or on its behalf or by any professional practising in a centre operated by the institution.
Unfortunately, the Centre d'assistance et d'accompagnement aux plaintes – Laval can not accompany you to meetings other that those related to the Complaint Examination System.