The cornerstone of the democracy in South Africa is the Bill of Rights. This is the rights of all people in the country and affirms the democratic values of human dignity, freedom and equality. Number 27 of the constitute states that every South African has the right to Health Care. This means that no one may be refused emergency medical treatment (South African Government, 2019).

During my second block I was placed in a rural area local Community Health Centre (CHC). They had a 1 hour booking service for out-patients’ that had been referred for Physiotherapy. If the patient had been late for the session then they would be given a re-booking date which would normally be a month waiting period. Normally most of the patients that attend physio are not fully aware what it entails.

This was evident on a day when a patient came for his physio appointment. He was stabbed on the lateral aspect of his elbow because he was caught stealing from another person. According to (General Ethical Guidelines for the Health Care Professions, 2008) the health professional should have a duty to treat the patient in best interest and not refuse or delay treatment because they feel that their actions has brought upon their condition. Therefore, I did an assessment on the patient. Following the assessment I wanted to give the patient a home exercise programme that would ease the patients’ symptoms. However, he refused and insisted on me giving him a pain injection. I then explained to him that I could not as this was not part of my duty and he got upset and kept insisting. He believed that I was violating his right to health care as I refused to give him a pain injection. At this point I was unsure of what to do next as I had to respect his refuse to treatment. I then went to ask my clinician and she advised the patient that if he does not want physio then he should consult a doctor at out-patient as he was “wasting another patients’ time”. This statement struck me because if he knew what physio is and did not want to be given exercise then he would not have made an appointment and allowed someone else their right to health care whom wanted physio and not having to wait long.

Although, the patient have a right to health care and should not be refused. It is also the responsibility of the patient to comply with the prescribed treatment or rehabilitation procedures and to know what his or her local health services offer (Western Cape Government, 2019). This would help aid in allowing other patients their Right to health care much earlier

References
(2008). General Ethical Guidelines for the Health Care Professions. Pretoria: HPCSA.
South African Government. (2019). Retrieved from Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996- Chapter 2: Bill of Rights: http://www.gov.za./documents/constitution/chapter-2-bill-rights
Western Cape Government. (2019). Retrieved from Patients’ Rights and Responsibilities: http://www.westerncape.gov.za/general-publication/patients-rights-and-responsibilities