The Maze Phase
The Maze Phase is a podcast for Primary health care professionals working with teens navigating life and the Australian Healthcare system. In this podcast, GP Dr Bianca Forrester interviews experts in the field of Adolescent Health and Social care to provide clinical updates, practice tips and best practice approaches to working with teens in Primary care. This series focuses on the school-aged teen and considers approaches to care in school-based settings.
The Maze Phase
Old enough for a medicare card, too young to vote - the medico legal framework
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Bianca Forrester
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Season 1
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Episode 9
Young people have the right to access health services independently; as early as they are able to access them. As health care professionals, there are a number of medico-legal and ethical considerations that may play out in any health care consultation with teens.
Firstly, we have a duty of care to assess their competence and maturity as it pertains to decision making around the treatment goal proposed. We can assist them on their help seeking journey by creating opportunities to develop health literacy and to participate in making decisions appropriate to their age and developmental stage. Judgement must also be made about whether the teen can manage the health care journey independently or when parent support is required. Finally, in the case where family based care is recommended but the clinician faces resistance from the teen, how does the clinician balance these considerations so as to maintain trust in the therapeutic relationship and appropriate care for the teen?
In this episode, we’ll be talking a deeper dive into the medico legal frameworks and ethical principles that we operate within when we provide care primary care services to young people independently seeking support. I'll be speaking with expert colleagues in the field of adolescent healthcare, regular contributors paediatrician Prof Susan Sawyer and child and adolescent psychiatrist, A/Prof Sandra Radovini.
We’ll be discussing young peoples needs, their rights, and their responsibilities when it comes to participating in patient centred care. We'll be discussing the skills and capacities that are required and how we, as GPs and nurses, can assist young people to build these skills and support them on their journey either independently or alongside families.
Including a discussion on:
-the mature minor assessment in Australia
-confidentiality
-patient centred and transitional models of adolescent health care
-the young person's rights and responsibilities in healthcare
-working with and alongside families in practice
-best practice approaches to working with young people either independently or with families
For more information, we recommend this practical guide for GPs and nurses:
Adolescent Health GP Resource Kit, 2nd edition
By Peter Chown, Dr Melissa Kang, Dr Lena Sanci, Verity Newnham and Clin Prof David Bennett AOy
https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/kidsfamilies/youth/Documents/gp-resources-kit/gp-resource-kit-sect2-chap6.pdf
This Podcast was recorded "at home" in November, 2020
Presented by: Dr Bianca Forrester, Department of General Practice, University of Melbourne
Guests: Prof Susan Sawyer- Centre of Adolescent Health, Royal Children's Hospital, Department of Paediatrics
A/Prof Sandra Radovini - Director, Mindful-Centre For Training & Research, Department of Psychiatry
Produced by: Bianca Forrester
Music: Space Cadet Lullabies
Graphics: Gaal Creative
The Maze Phase is a production of the University of Melbourne, Australia. The Maze Phase is licenced under Creative Commons, Copyright 2017, the University of Melbourne.