Keeping the person’s best interests in mind

A fundamental right of patients in healthcare is the right to consent and to refuse treatment. When the patient lacks legal capacity to make decisions, it is common practice for a legally appointed substitute decision-maker to decide on their behalf. However, determining what is in that person’s best interests can be difficult when family hold […]

Too-great expectations: How Australia’s aged care COVID-19 vaccination rollout fell short

In February, when the Morrison government unveiled Australia’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout plan, aged care workers, along with frontline healthcare workers and quarantine and border workers, were included in the highest priority group, phase 1a, and assured they would get vaccinated at their workplaces within the next six weeks. Instead, two months on, fewer than 10% […]