What is the professionals obligation if a client stops showing up for appointments?
The Professional Misconduct Regulation outlines the steps that clinicians must take when they are discontinuing professional services (i.e., discharging clients). A member may discharge a client from service if any one of the provisions applies. Under the terms of the Health Care Consent Act, consent to treatment can be either expressed or implied. Withdrawal of consent can also be expressed or implied. If a client repeatedly does not show up for appointments, it may be assumed that the client has withdrawn consent for treatment and thus agreed to the discontinuation of services. Most agencies have attendance policies that are provided to clients at the beginning of treatment. Typically, clients are made aware that their file will be closed if they do not show up for a certain number of appointments without contacting the agency. Attempts should be made to contact the clients if they miss a certain number of sessions to confirm withdrawal from treatment. Alternatively, a letter may be
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