THE CHARTER FOR THE HOSPITALIZED CHILD

The right to the best possible care is a fundamental right, particularly for children.  

1. A child can be admitted to the hospital only when the treatment necessitated by his illness cannot be carried out at home, in outpatient care or in day hospital.
2. A hospitalized child has the right to have his parents or their substitute at his side at any time of the day or night, whatever his age or medical condition.
3. The parents will be encouraged to stay close to their child and will be offered all physical amenities, without having to pay a supplement or suffer any wage loss. The parents will be informed about the rules of existence and and the working methods applied in the unit and consequently be able to actively participate in their child’s treatment.
4. The children and their parents have the right to receive information on the illness and its treatment, information in accordance with their age and ability to understand, and will consequently be able to participate in decisions involving them.
5. Any non-indispensable examination or treatment will be avoided. Every effort will be made to reduce physical or emotional aggression and pain as much as possible.
6. Children will not be admitted in the units for adults. They will be brought together according to age group so as to have safe access to the games, leisure and educational activity suitable for their age. Visitors shall be accepted without any age limit.
7. The hospital must provide children with an environment corresponding to their physical, emotional and educational needs in terms of equipment, staff presence and safety..
8. The health care team must be trained to meet the psychological needs of the children and their families.
9. The health care team must be organized in such a way as to provide each child with a guarantee of continuous care.
10. The intimacy of each child must be respected. He must be treated with tact and understanding in all circumstances.

THE CHARTER FOR THE HOSPITALIZED PERSON

(Circular n°DHOS/E1/DGS/SD1B/SD1C/SD4A/2006/90 of 2 March 2006 pertaining to the rights of hospitalized persons and including a charter for the hospitalized person ) 

1. All persons are free to choose the health care facility that will treat them, within the limits of the possibilities of each facility. The public hospital service is open to one and all, particularly to deprived persons and, in an emergency, to persons without social protection. It is also adapted to disabled persons.
2. Health care facilities guarantee quality of admission, treatments and therapy. They are attentive to pain relief and do everything in their power to provide each person with a dignified existence, paying particular attention to end-of-life situations.
3. The information given to a patient has got to be accessible and honest. The hospitalized person participates in the treatment decisions involving him. He can be assisted by a freely chosen support person.
4. A medical act cannot be performed without the patient’s free and informed consent. The patient has the right to refuse to undergo any treatment. Any adult person can express his end-of-life wishes through advance directives.
5. Specific consent is envisaged, particularly for patients participating in biomedical research, for donation and utilization of parts of the human body and, especially, for screening procedures.
6. A person whose participation in biomedical research is requested is fully informed, particularly as regards the expected benefits and the foreseeable risks. His agreement is given in writing. His refusal will have no impact on the quality of the treatment he will receive.
7. A hospitalized person may, except for cases where the law has determined otherwise, leave the facility at any time, after having been informed of the possible risks to which he is exposing himself.
8. A hospitalized person is treated with due respect. His beliefs are respected. His intimacy as well as his tranquility are to be maintained.
9. Respect for privacy is guaranteed to all persons, as well as the confidentiality of all social, medical, administrative and personal information pertaining to them.
10. A hospitalized person (or his legal representatives) has direct access to health information on his subject. Under certain conditions, his beneficiaries in the event of death have the same rights.
11. A hospitalized person can express his observations on the treatment and on the reception he has had. In each health care facility, a commission for user relations and quality of treatment strives to ensure respect for users’ rights. Any person has the right to be heard by a responsible party in the hospital facility in order to express his complaints and to seek compensation for the harm he believes he has suffered,  in a conciliation procedure and/or before the courts.

(1) The complete document of the charter for the hospitalized person is accessible in the French internet site: www.sante.gouv.fr. It can also be obtained immediately and for free, on simple request at the Direction des Usagers (user service) of the facility.

THE CHARTER OF THE RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS OF THE DEPENDENT ELDERLY PERSON

When it is unanimously admitted that dependent elderly persons have the right to the absolute respect of their freedoms as adults and their dignity as human beings, this charter will have been applied in its spirit. 

1. Choice of life: All dependent elderly persons remain free to choose their ways of life.
2. Home and environment: The living space of the dependent elderly person –  domicile or institution – must be chosen by that person and adapted to his or her needs.
3. A social life in spite of handicaps: All dependent elderly persons maintain the freedom to communicate, to move around and to participate in society.
4. Presence and role of family and friends: The continuation of family relations and networks of friends is indispensable to dependent elderly persons.
5. Assets and income: All dependent elderly persons must be allowed the continued mastery of their assets and available income.
6. Valuation of activity: All dependent elderly persons must be encouraged to maintain their activities.
7. Freedom of conscience and religious practice: All dependent elderly persons must be allowed to participate in the religious or philosophical activities of their choice.
8. Maintaining autonomy and preventing dependency: Prevention of dependency is of vital importance for the aging individual.
9. The right to health care: All dependent elderly persons, just like other persons, must have access to the care they require.
10. Caretaker qualifications: The care required by an elderly dependent person must be administered by a sufficient number of trained and qualified caretakers.
11. Respect for the end of life: Care and assistance must be provided for the elderly person at the end of his life — and for his or her family, as well.
12. Research, a priority and an obligation: Multidisciplinary research on aging and dependency should be considered as a priority.
13. Exercise of rights and legal protection of the person: All persons in a position of dependence should benefit from protection not only of their property, but also of their person.
14. Information, the best way to combat exclusion: The general population must be informed of the difficulties encountered by dependent elderly persons.