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Tribune News Network
Doha
The Emir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani on Thursday issued Law No 16 of 2016 on psychological health, protecting the rights of people with mental disorder.
The law states that psychiatric patients can avail integrated therapeutic and community care services at hospitals specialising in psychiatry, psychiatric departments of hospitals and outpatient clinics, private clinics licensed to practise psychiatry and any other place that provides community care services.
As per the law, persons suffering from chronic mental disorder enjoy a number of rights. It is binding on medical facilities hospitals specialising in psychiatry, psychiatric departments of hospitals and clinics, community care services ” to inform the patient of his health condition. The patient, his guardian or relatives are to be provided a detailed explanation of the patients rights once he is admitted.
The law states that the patient has to be informed of the diagnosis of his condition and treatment services available. The patient has the right to receive a full medical report on the mental condition and all other procedures and tests.
On the rights relating to the healthcare environment, the patient should receive the necessary medical care according to his condition and his individual rights should be respected.
The law stipulates that the freedom of a patient with mental disorder may not be restricted and they should not be kept in isolation unless the doctor in charge decides so. The personal belongings of the patient must be kept in a safe deposit box at the medical facility.
The patient has the right to receive necessary treatment in accordance with the generally accepted medical standards and they may not be subjected to any scientific research unless after obtaining a written consent from the patient or his guardian.
The patient has the right to accept or refuse to meet visitors and they should be protected from sexual, physical and psychological abuse and humiliating treatment. The patient should not be punished or threatened physically or morally.
The patient or the guardian, in case the patient is incompetent, has the right to submit a request to receive examination and treatment at the medical facilities as well as a request to discharge the patient at any time.
The doctor in charge has the right to prevent the patient from leaving the medical facility after being voluntarily admitted for a period not exceeding 72 hours if the doctor thinks that discharging the patient may pose harm to the patient as well as others.
With the approval of a psychiatric consultant, anyone can be admitted involuntarily to receive treatment after developing clear signs of suffering from a severe mental illness or if the behaviour poses imminent threat to the health, safety and life of the patient or of others.
The involuntary admission period for treatment will be three months, which can be renewed for another similar period. People violating the law will be penalised heavily. Violators face a jail term of one year to three years and fines in the range of QR50,000 to QR 200,000 depending on the nature of the offence. The law is effective 60 days after being published in the Official Gazette.
