Services to Adults Greater Vancouver Regional Office 700-808 West Hastings Street Vancouver, BC V6C 3L3 Ph: 604.775.1007 Fax: 604.660.9498 Lower Mainland Regional Office 700-808 West Hastings Street Vancouver, BC V6C 3L3 Ph: 604.775.1001 Fax: 604.660.9479 Vancouver Island Regional Office 1215 Broad Street Victoria, BC V8W 2A4 Mailing: PO Box 9251, Victoria, BC  V8W 9J2 Ph: 250.356.8160 Fax: 250.356.7442 Interior-North Regional Office 1345 St. Paul Street Kelowna, BC  V1Y 2E2 Ph: 250.712.7576 Fax: 250.712.7578 Estate Liaison Services 700-808 West Hastings Street Vancouver, BC V6C 3L3 Ph: 604.775.0368 Fax: 604.775.0459 Private Committee Services 700-808 West Hastings Street Vancouver , BC V6C 3L3 Ph: 604.660.1500 Fax: 604.660.4456 See Contact Us page for hours of service.

Substitute Health Care Decision Making

Under the Health Care (Consent) and Care Facility (Admission) Act, health care professionals must obtain informed consent from a patient before providing treatment.

However, if the patient is incapable, a substitute decision maker may be needed.  In the absence of an already existing substitute decision maker such as a Committee of Person or Representative under a representation agreement, and in the absence of an Advance Directive relevant to the health care decision to be made, the law requires the health care provider to choose a person to provide consent to treatment from a list of qualified people that meet specific criteria. The list includes family members and close friends.

When an eligible person is not available, or there is a dispute in choosing between equally ranked decisions makers, the Public Guardian and Trustee (PGT) is called upon to authorize a suitable decision maker or to make substitute treatment decisions.

See our publications Consent to Health Care and Information for Temporary Substitute Decision Makers Authorized by the PGT for more information.

See our Contact Us page for regional contact information and toll free information to access PGT health care decision making services.