What you should know as a patient
Your rights are:
- To receive free public hospital services as a public patient.
- To receive treatment on the basis of your health needs, regardless of your
financial or health insurance status.
- To have access to public hospital services regardless of where you live in
Australia.
- To be treated with respect, compassion and consideration of privacy which
takes into account your background, needs and wishes.
- To participate fully in the decisions about your care including admission,
discharge and arrangements for continuing care.
- To give a clear explanation of the proposed treatment including risk and
alternatives, before you decide whether you will agree to the treatment.
- To seek a second medical opinion.
- To give your informed consent (except in exceptional circumstances) before a
procedure is carried out, including consent to participation in under-graduate
health professional teaching or medical research.
- To withdraw your consent or refuse further treatment.
- To have access to information contained in your medical record.
- To expect that information about your hospital care will be confidential
unless the law allows otherwise.
- To receive interpreter services if you are experiencing difficulty
communicating with staff.
- To commend health workers, to complain about your health care and/or to be
advised of the procedure of expressing concern about your care please contact
the
Royal Hobart Hospital - Patient Liaison Officer ph: (03) 6222
7979
Launceston General Hospital - Quality & Safety Unit ph: 1800 008
001
North West Regional Hospital - Quality Office ph: 1800 062 322
How you can help
There are a number of things that you can do to help health care workers
provide better care. You should:
- Provide information that enables health care professionals to give you
appropriate care and advice.
- Treat seriously any decision made in partnership with a health professional
regarding your treatment.
- Comply with your prescribed treatment or tell your health care professional
of your intention not to do so.
- Conduct yourself in an appropriate way so as not to interfere with the
well-being or rights of other patients and health care staff.
For more information
Copies of the full charter which provides detailed information about the
rights and responsibilities of patients are available from all public hospitals
or by contacting the Department of Health and Human Services.