Children, young people and other patients who may have additional needs

For patients with additional needs (such as children and young people, older people, people with physical or cognitive disability, people with impaired decision-making capacity and people at greater risk, such as those facing family violence), good practice means the practitioner: (a) puts the patient's interests and wellbeing first; (b) meets mandatory reporting laws that protect at-risk groups, including reporting about the aged and about child abuse and neglect; (c) recognises that more advocacy may be needed for fair access to care; and (d) when communicating, treats the patient with respect and listens to them, invites and answers questions as well as they can, gives information in a way the patient understands, recognises what parents, carers or guardians contribute and, where appropriate, encourages their involvement, and stays alert to patients at risk, notifying the proper authorities as the law requires, including where a parent or guardian refuses treatment that may not be in a child's best interests.

• Mandatory reporting training records for the relevant state or territory (child abuse and neglect, elder abuse)
• Log of reports made to child protection or aged care authorities with dates
• Practice safeguarding procedure covering family violence screening and referral
• Notes showing adapted communication and carer involvement for patients with additional needs

• Practitioner unaware of the state's reporting thresholds
• Concern recorded but no report lodged
• Parental refusal of necessary treatment accepted with no escalation