Consent to Health  

In British Columbia, the Health Care Consent and Care Facility Admission Act governs how adults give or withhold consent to medical treatments. All adults are presumed capable of making their own health decisions unless assessed otherwise. 

If the individual is not capable: 

• A Temporary Substitute Decision Maker (TSDM) may be assigned by a healthcare provider 

• The TSDM may be a spouse, parent, sibling, close friend, or, if no one is available, the Public Guardian and Trustee 

• A Representation Agreement may already designate someone to make health decisions 

As a home sharing provider, your role is to support the individual’s right to be involved in their care and to know who has the legal authority to make decisions if they cannot.