Patient Rights

Access – your right to access healthcare

Our responsibilities:

• Provide healthcare services and treatment that meets your needs

Your responsibilities:

• Attend all of your appointments at the booked time and notify us if there is a problem

Safety – your right to receive safe and high-quality care

Our responsibilities:

• Provide safe and high-quality health care that meets national standards
• Care for you in an environment that is safe and makes you feel safe.

Your responsibilities:

• Provide accurate information as best you can about your current medical problems, previous illness, medications, visits to hospital, allergies and other matters relating to your health
• Discuss any worries or concerns you have with staff

Respect – your right to be shown respect and to be treated with dignity and consideration

Our responsibilities:

• Treat you with dignity and respect
• Recognise and respect your culture, identity, beliefs and choices

Your responsibilities:

• Be courteous and considerate to other patients and to staff

Partnership – your right to be included in decisions and to make choices about your healthcare

Our responsibilities:

• Answer your questions and be involved in open and honest communication
• Support you to have a right to make decisions with your healthcare provider, to the extent that you choose and are able to
• Include the people that you want included in planning and decision-making
• Provide an advocate to support your decision-making if you wish

Your responsibilities:

• Be involved in the planning of your treatment
• Ask for clarification on anything you are unsure about

Information – your right to be informed about services, treatment options and costs in a clear and open way

Our responsibilities:

• Provide clear information about your condition and the possible benefits and risks of different tests and treatments
• Provide information about services, waiting times and costs
• Provide assistance when you need it to help you understand and use health information. Provide you with access to your health information.
• Communicate if something has gone wrong during your treatment, how it happened, how it may affect you and what is being done to make care safe

Your responsibilities:

• Ask staff for a clear explanation of treatments, tests and medication recommended for your care
• Let staff know immediately if you do not understand instructions or advice given to you

Privacy – your right to privacy and confidentiality of your personal information

Our responsibilities:

• Respect your personal privacy
• Keep information about you and your health kept secure and confidential

Your responsibilities:

• Please respect the privacy and confidentiality of others

Give feedback – a right to comment on your healthcare and to have your concerns addressed

Our responsibilities:

• Respect your right to provide feedback or make a complaint without it affecting the way that you are treated
• Address your concerns in a transparent and timely way
• Respect your right to share your experience and participate in initiatives to improve the quality of care and health services we provide

Your responsibilities:

• Tell us if you have a concern and we will work to resolve it
• Raise your concerns in a respectful way

You can provide feedback or make a complaint here.

Mental Health Care rights

In addition to all the rights listed above, you also have the right to:

• Be provided with a written explanation of your rights and have them explained to you in a way that you understand
• Know the diagnosis and medication that has been prescribed for you. You can ask for a clear explanation about diagnosis, treatment options, medication choices, side effects and how your diagnosis and treatment plan will affect you.
• Disagree with the diagnosis. If there is any information that is inaccurate or missing, please let us know. You don’t need to agree with the diagnosis to receive help and support from any public mental health service. However, we do want to hear your thoughts and opinions on your experiences.
• Participate and be supported to participate in all decisions about your care and treatment.
• Collaborate on a plan that outlines your needs, goals and a plan for working towards your recovery and receive a copy of that plan.
• A second opinion. There are a number of ways to request a second opinion. A different Alfred psychiatrist can review your information. If you are receiving compulsory treatment under the Mental Health Act you can access the Second Psychiatric Opinion Service. This free service provides an independent second opinion about your treatment. The Second Psychiatric Opinion Service can be accessed by calling 1300 503 426. You can also ask your GP for an Item 291 for a psychiatric assessment with a private psychiatrist. Please note you will be responsible for all out of pocket expenses for this option.
• Independent Mental Health Advocacy is also available to advocate for and support people who are receiving compulsory mental health treatment to make decisions and have as much say as possible about their assessment, treatment and recovery (see details below)
• Complete an Advanced Statement of preferences and register a friend or family member as a Nominated Support Person. These documents allow you to highlight your preferences regarding how you are treated and who your support person is in the event that you receive compulsory treatment (see below).