Currently the nearest relative should be informed if the patient needs to be transferred from one hospital to another but there is no requirement to consult with the nearest relative on the decision, meaning that the nearest relative currently cannot object to this. Section 28 of the Act establishes a new right for nominated persons to be consulted about transfers between hospitals. It amends section 19 of the 1983 Act so that before deciding to transfer a patient between hospitals, the person responsible for taking that decision must consult the patient’s nominated person, unless consultation is not reasonably practicable or would involve unreasonable delay.
Nominated persons Section 28: Transfer of patients: role of nominated person