Australia RACGP Standards for After-hours and Medical Deputising Services (5th edition) C2.1: Respectful and culturally appropriate care: care takes account of each patient's rights, beliefs and religious and cultural background; patients are told the risks of declining a treatment, advice or procedure; the service accepts a patient's right to another opinion; distressed patients are given privacy; and the clinical team has a way of working through ethical dilemmas

What does C2.1 require?

Respect is built into how the service delivers care. The team considers patients' rights and their beliefs and cultural and religious backgrounds, for example gender preference for a practitioner where it can be met, modesty during examination in the home and culturally safe care for First Nations patients. When a patient declines treatment, advice or a procedure, the clinician explains the risks of that choice and records the discussion. Patients may seek another opinion, including from their regular GP, without penalty. A distressed patient is offered privacy, which in a home visit may mean asking others to leave the room. The clinical team has a process for discussing ethical dilemmas and knows where to seek guidance.