Your Rights

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Patient Rights

The Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights specifies the key rights of patients and consumers when seeking or receiving healthcare services. The updated 2019 Charter can be viewed here.

As a patient of our hospital, you have a right to:

• Be treated with courtesy and have your ethnic, cultural and religious practices and beliefs respected
• Be cared for safely and appropriately
• Be involved in the planning of your care from admission through to discharge, taking into account your cultural and religious beliefs
• Know the name of the doctor who has primary responsibility for coordinating your care
• Be informed of the names and functions of all people involved in providing your care
• Receive information regarding your condition and treatment options, in non-technical language, from those involved in your care before giving consent to treatment. This information should include treatment options for your condition, any associated risks and advantages of each option and expected outcomes, and the consequences of receiving no treatment
• Refuse a recommended treatment, test or procedure, unless the law prohibits this, and you may leave the hospital/clinic against the advice of your doctor at your own risk after completion of the hospital discharge forms and acknowledging responsibility for your actions
• Know the plans for discharge from hospital and any continuing healthcare you may require including the time and location for appointments and the name of the doctor who will be providing the follow-up care. You also have the right to assistance with discharge planning by qualified hospital staff to ensure appropriate post-hospital placement
• Seek a second medical opinion
• Refuse the presence of a particular healthcare provider, and to decline to participate in teaching and research activities
• Nominate a person(s) to speak on your behalf if you are unable to do so
• Be informed of the estimated costs prior to any treatment. Before your admission, our staff will discuss with you the likely cost of any health fund and gap payments that you may incur
• Confidentiality of medical records and personal details to the extent permitted by law
• Expect safety where work practices and environment are concerned
• Privacy for visits during established patient visiting hours
• Make a complaint about any aspect of your hospital stay, and have it dealt with promptly without penalty to your treatment

These rights can be achieved by:

• Discussing matters with your doctor or any hospital staff member looking after you in an attempt to achieve a solution
• Bringing the matter to the attention of the Nurse Unit Manager or Director of Clinical Services of the hospital if the matter is not satisfactorily resolved by other means
• Contacting the Commonwealth Ombudsman Private Health Insurance - Commonwealth Ombudsman
• Asking questions and seeking clarification in regards to matters that concern you
• Requesting information regarding any likely out of pocket expenses for services provided by the hospital prior to your admission

Patient Responsibilities

As a patient of our hospital, you have a responsibility to:

• Respect the dignity and rights of other patients, visitors and hospital staff
• Cooperate with staff in the provision and planning of your health status and admission
• Provide accurate and complete information about present complaints, past illnesses, hospitalisations, medications and other matters relating to your health
• Inform the hospital if you have any Advanced Health Directive, Power of Attorney or Enduring Guardianship for any health and/or personal matters
• Contact the hospital should you wish to cancel or postpone your admission or if you are unable to arrive at the scheduled time
• Tell staff and/or your doctor immediately if you have any concerns about your condition or if there is any aspect of your care that you do not understand
• Follow the treatment plan recommended by the practitioner primarily responsible for your care. This may include following instructions of nurses and allied health personnel as they carry out the coordinated plan of care and implement the responsible practitioner's orders
• Accept the consequences of your actions if you refuse treatment or do not follow the practitioner's instructions
• Report unexpected changes in your condition to the responsible practitioner
• Respect hospital property, policies and regulations
• Finalise all accounts pertaining to your hospitalisation
• Provide information concerning your ability to pay for services
• Direct any complaint to a staff member so that appropriate steps can be taken to remedy your concerns

Further Information

The Private Patients' Hospital Charter is a guide to what it means to be a private patient in a public hospital, a private hospital or day hospital facility. It also sets out what you can expect from:

• the doctor(s) providing your treatment;
• the hospital in which you receive your treatment; and
• your private health insurer

The Charter also provides information on what to do if you have a complaint about your care or private health insurance. The Charter is available from the Australian Government Department of Health. Copies of this Charter are also available in all Healthe Care hospitals and online.