Consumer Charter of Rights

Your healthcare rights

 

I have a right to:

Access

  • Healthcare services and treatment that meets my needs

Safety

  • Receive safe and high quality healthcare that meets national standards 

  • Be cared for in an environment that is safe and makes me feel safe

Respect

Be treated as an individual, and with dignity and respect 

Have my culture, identity, beliefs and choices recognised and respected

Partnership

  • Ask questions and be involved in open and honest communication.

  • Make decisions with my healthcare provider, to the extent that I choose and am able to.

  • Include the people that I want in planning and decision-making.

Information

  • Receive clear information about my condition, including the possible benefits and risks of different tests and treatments, so I can give my informed consent.

  • Get information about services, waiting times, and costs.

  • Be given assistance, when I need it, to help me understand and use health information.

  • Access my health information.

  • Be informed if something has gone wrong during my healthcare, how it happened, how it may affect me, and what is being done to make care safe.

Privacy

  • Have my personal privacy respected.

  • Have information about me and my health kept secure and confidential.

Give Feedback

  • Provide feedback or make a complaint without it affecting the way that I am treated.

  • Have my concerns addressed in a transparent and timely way.

  • Share my experience and participate to improve the quality of care and health services.

For more information visit safetyandquality.gov.au/your-rights

Find out more about Smiling Mind’s Complaint Handing Procedure.

We review our Privacy Policy regularly to ensure it is up-to-date so we encourage you to review it from time to time at www.smilingmind.com.au/privacy-and-terms.

Every child and young person has the right:

  • to consideration of their best interests as the primary concern of all involved in his or her care

  • to express their views, and to be heard and taken seriously

  • to the highest attainable standard of healthcare

  • to respect for themselves as a whole person, as well as respect for their family and the family’s individual characteristics, beliefs, culture and context

  • to be nurtured by their parents and family, and to have family relationships supported by the service in which the child or young person is receiving healthcare

  • to information, in a form that is understandable to them

  • to participate in decision-making and, as appropriate to their capabilities, to make decisions about their care

  • to be kept safe from all forms of harm

  • to have their privacy respected

  • to participate in education, play, creative activities and recreation, even if this is difficult due to their illness or disability

  • to continuity of healthcare, including well-planned care that takes them beyond the paediatric context

For more information visit: awch.org.au/projects/promoting-childrens-young-peoples-rights/