Te āta whakaae ki te whakamātau poka rekereke, i runga i te mōhio Informed consent for the heel prick test
It is your right to choose for your pēpi (baby) to be screened. Ask your Lead Maternity Carer (LMC) for information to help you decide. When your pēpi (baby) has screening, you also need to decide whether the leftover blood spots are stored or returned to you after screening.
Legal framework
Aotearoa New Zealand has a legal framework which sets out your rights regarding giving informed consent. The framework flows from the:
- Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994 (the Act)
- Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers' Rights 1996 (the Code).
Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights
The Code includes 3 rights that form the elements of informed consent.
Parents and guardians must be fully informed and give informed consent before they receive screening.
Right 5
The right to effective communication.
Right 6
The right to be fully informed.
Right 7
The right to make an informed choice and give informed consent.
Who is the consumer in screening
The Code gives rights on consumers who receive health services.
In the case of newborn metabolic screening, the consumer is the pēpi. However, as a pēpi is not competent to consent, consent to blood tests and storage must be given by the parents or other persons entitled to consent on behalf of the pēpi.
The Code and your rights — Health and Disability Commissioner (external link)
Privacy Act and the Health Information Privacy Code
The Privacy Act 1993 and the Health Information Privacy Code (HIPC) 1994 cover the blood spot cards.