Advocacy, guardianship and the GP

Australians have come to realise that they have a right to access high quality health care through their general practitioner. It is essential that people with cognitive impairments through intellectual disability, psychiatric disorders, senility or brain damage are not denied equity of access through their inability to seek medical attention. Those who cannot make reasonable decisions or who cannot understand and give legal consent to operative procedures may need to have a guardian appointed to protect their rights. In other situations an advocate may be appointed if the person's rights are in jeopardy. The general practitioner is often the first person to become aware of the needs of disabled people and is well placed to intervene to ensure the protection of their rights. This includes the right to good health care.