18 Patients Rights and responsibilities (Bill of right) in Nigeria.

This article contains a list of patients rights and responsibilities and bill of right in Nigeria.

List of patients rights and responsibilities in Nigeria

Patient Rights

  •  To have access to all relevant information in a language that the patient understands, including complete and accurate information about diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, other procedures, and possible outcomes.
  • To fully participate in implementing the treatment plan and making decisions.
  • Access to records, including explicit information about range and scope of services available.
  • Access to record of the identity, skills and credentials of treating professionals and care providers published by the Federal/State Ministry of Health or other relevant authorities.
  • Full disclosure of cost or estimation of recommended treatment plan services.
  • Transparent and itemized billing.
  • Privacy and confidentiality of all information and medical records unless disclosure is vital and in the interest of public health in accordance with prevailing law.
  • Access to clean, safe, and secure healthcare environment.
  • Access to equitable quality care and caregivers, irrespective of disability
  • To be treated with respect and dignity without prejudice to gender, religion, race, ethnicity, allegation of crimes, geographical location, disability, or social-economic circumstances.
  • That prior wish of the patient or in the absence of same, of the next of kin (where legally applicable) are respected to the fullest extent practicable during last offices (at the time of death) including cultural or religious preferences, to the extent consistent with extant laws including coroners’ laws.
  • Receive urgent, immediate, and sufficient intervention and care in the event of an emergency, prioritizing such needed attention over other factors including cost and payment, as well as law enforcement requirements
  • Receive visitors including for religious purposes according to the rules and regulations of the facility
  • Patients at all times, retain the control of their person and must be informed of their power to decline care upon full disclosure of the consequences of such decisions.
  • Patients have the right to consent or decline participation in medical research, experimental procedures or clinical trials in the course of treatment.
  • To be informed about impending interruption or disengagement of services of primary or attending professionals responsible for patient’s care.
  • Methodical and practical transition of treatment for patients’ safety and continuity of care.
  • To express dissatisfaction regarding service and/or provider including personnel changes and abuse.

Patient Responsibilities

  • Seek information from the care giver about their services.
  • Understand the treatment plan.
  • Provide details about any changes occurring during, or on account of treatment.
  • Report dissatisfaction through appropriate the channels provided by the facility.
  • Request information about range and scope of services available including identity, skills and credentials of treating professionals and care providers.
  • Pay bills or make provision for prompt payment of bills. In the event of an emergency, demonstrate ability and intention to pay for the services
  • Complete, truthful, and accurate disclosure of medical history, medication, and complaints to the authorized and attending care giver.
  • Explanation during treatment where necessary.
  • Not to constitute a nuisance or in any way endanger others.
  • Respect and consider the rights of other patients.
  • Conduct all interactions with consideration, and respect for others.
  • Recognize that emergency treatment and prioritization do not mean a waiver of obligation to pay for service.
  • Comply with rules and regulations of the facility as well as directives, instructions, and advice of attending professionals.
  • Inquire about any contingency plan or other suitable alternatives with respect to continuing care
  • Complain in accordance with redress mechanism of the facility.
  • Provide sufficient details of dissatisfaction.
  • If dissatisfied with outcome, report to appropriate regulatory authority e.g., Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) and subsequently to Consumer Protection Council (CPC), if not satisfied with the additional interventions.
Patients rights and responsibilities bill of right in Nigeria

Provider Responsibilities

  • Inform patient about services that are available at the facility and eligibility based on health insurance or out of pocket costs and responsibilities.
  • Inform patient whether proposed treatment or procedure is experimental or part of ongoing research.
  • Answer questions about proposed treatment and/or procedures and provide information about potential risks, alternative treatment and/or procedures.
  • Provide the patient’s medical records on request by the patient or other authorized persons, in accordance with prevailing laws.
  • Conspicuously display scope of practice and available services, and customer care phone numbers, email addresses and other contact information.
  • Communicate clearly with patient, including, providing translation in the case of language barrier adaptation in the case of other disabilities.
  • Ensure patient demonstrates sufficient understanding of information provided.
  • Provide sufficient identification when on duty, including displayed rosters and apparel with visible identity tags
  • In the event of emergency, provide immediate and sufficient intervention and care, prioritizing such needed attention over other factors including cost and payment. Care providers have a right to fees and therefore should use legal means to recover fees owed.
  • Respect and maintain patient’s personal records, except disclosure by operation of law or in the interest of public health.
  • Maintain records of personnel current certificate and/or licenses to practice.
  • Maintain current certificate of Standards as evidence of authorization to operate within its approved scope of practice.
  • Deliver care that minimizes risk and harm to patients, including preventable injury and errors.
  • Adopt clinical governance standards and provide the best care while protecting patients from harm, or abuse.
  • Treat patients, human remains and tissue samples with care, consideration, and dignity without prejudice to gender, religion, race, ethnicity, allegations of crimes, geographical location, physical ability, and socioeconomic circumstances.
  • Ensure comprehensive information, guidance, and support to bereaved relatives.
  • Prepare remains for viewing at the mortuary/rest room by relatives in compliance with guidelines for last offices unless harmful to public health, and to the extent consistent with extant laws, including coroners’ law.
  • Counsel and encourage patients on the disclosure of disease of public health importance (deadly, infectious, or non-infectious disease) to spouse or close relatives in accordance with public health laws.
  • Immediately evaluate patients with medical emergency, including prioritization where necessary.
  • Maintain a sufficiently responsive and efficient 24- hour uninterrupted emergency unit in the facility.
  • Inform patients and relatives of visitation rules upon admission and any subsequent modification.
  • Recognize that minors (less than 18 years) are under the care of parents or guardians whose consent must be secured in clinic management and procedure to the extent permitted by law.
  • Al l medical research, experimental procedures or clinical trials must comply with approved ethical procedures.
  • Provider may detain patient in the interest of public health Conspicuously display visitation rules/ schedule of the facility.
  • Reschedule patients’ appointments in the event of inevitable service interruption.
  • Render sufficient intervention to in-patients and emergency cases in the event of inevitable service interruption.
  • Encourage patients to ask questions about the services.
  • Maintain records of complaints and redress procedure of the facility and address complaints in accordance with procedure.
  • Inform patient at onset of the redress mechanism provided by the facility and regulatory bodies, with timelines for action on complaints.

PDF showing patients rights and responsibilities in Nigeria

About the author

Author profile

Nwasom is a pharmacy graduate and a pharmacist currently practising in the United Kingdom. I have great experience communicating with patients and their family as gained through working as a pharmacist in both the hospital and community pharmacy sector. I love writing so it was a natural thing to try and pass medical and health information on through writing.