Department of Health The Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights in Victoria Your role in realising the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights in Victoria A training guide for healthcare professionals

Healthcare rights In Australia everyone shares a fundamental right to basic health care They also have certain rights regarding the nature of that care A shared understanding of these rights between patients, consumers, families, carers, healthcare services and providers contributes to the provision of safe and high quality care

Background There have been a variety of state based patient charters in place within Australia In Victoria this has included the Public Hospital Patient Charter These charters have been worthwhile but have not been used in all health settings A national charter of health care rights provides a coordinated and universally agreed set of rights used in all healthcare settings

Partnership Patients, consumers, staff and health service organisations all have a role in contributing to a safe and high quality healthcare system A genuine partnership between patients, consumers and healthcare providers is important so that everyone achieves the best possible outcomes

The Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights The Australian Health Ministers endorsed the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights in July 2008 The Charter summarises the basic rights that patients and consumers are entitled to receive when accessing healthcare services These rights are –Access –Safety –Respect –Communication –Participation –Privacy and –Comment

The Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights The Charter is applicable to all healthcare settings anywhere in Australia, including: public hospitals private hospitals multi-purpose services general practices specialist rooms day procedure facilities community health centres private allied health providers

The Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights in Victoria The Victorian government has: adopted the seven principles of the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights produced a Victorian brochure, entitled The Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights in Victoria, for services to use with patient and consumers, available online and through audio, and in print, in English, Braille and 25 community languages and accessible formats aligned the content of the previous Public Hospital Patient Charter within the new brochure ensured congruency with the Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 developed a website with additional information and resources for healthcare services, providers, patients and consumers at

Healthcare providers Healthcare providers play a vital role in ensuring that quality care is delivered to patients and consumers by: –being familiar with The Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights in Victoria brochure –communicating with patients, consumers, families and carers about their rights, and giving them the brochure –enhancing their clinical practice to help realise healthcare rights

Health service organisations Health service organisations play a vital role in ensuring that quality care is delivered to patients and consumers by: –incorporating The Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights in Victoria brochure into broader healthcare service policies, communications and planning –ensuring that the brochure is readily available in a range of languages and formats –working with key organisations to help promote and support patient and consumers rights

1. ACCESS This right is enhanced when healthcare providers: discuss issues about access to treatment with patients and consumers, including choices available and waiting times provide the best and most appropriate care, including referral if needed ensure efficient use of services and timely discharge processes to enable access by others and when healthcare services: provide and efficiently manage appropriate facilities, equipment and supplies are mindful or patients and consumers’ broader treatment needs, including after hours and continuing treatment provide support where appropriate to people who need to travel to receive public healthcare services

2. SAFETY This right is enhanced when healthcare providers: provide care and treatment based on evidence of safety and effectiveness use interpreters when required to ensure clear communication with patients and consumers ensure ongoing continuity of care and when healthcare services: provide staff with the resources necessary to provide safe and effective health care ensure facilities and procedures meet industry and safety standards have systems in place to promote patient, consumer and staff safety

3. RESPECT This right is enhanced when healthcare providers: provide care that is responsive to a patient or consumer’s culture, beliefs, practices, needs and circumstances, and is free from discrimination demonstrate professional conduct based on appropriate ethical standards, and treat patients with dignity and consideration provide care in surroundings that allow personal privacy and when healthcare services: maintain a co-operative and mutually respectful environment to support interactions between patients, consumers and staff support staff to abide by appropriate ethical standards and practices, codes of conduct and principles of non-discrimination develop and sustain a service free from discrimination

4. COMMUNICATION This right is enhanced when healthcare providers: provide information in a way that patients, consumers, families and carers can understand about their diagnosis treatment options, expected outcomes, possible side effects, waiting times and costs regard communication as a two-way process, providing opportunities for patients and consumers to ask questions, and convey relevant information provide open, complete and timely communication throughout the period of care and when healthcare services: provide patients and consumers with advice on how and where to ask questions and obtain information about diagnosis and treatment provide appropriate access to interpreters and patient and consumer support processes to assist with clear communication ensure systems are in place to support open disclosure if things go wrong

5. PARTICIPATION This right is enhanced when healthcare providers: encourage patients and consumers to take an active role in their health care, and to be included in all decisions about their care ensure they have clearly communicated all the information that a patient or consumer needs to make a fully informed decision about their care respect the role that family members, carers, friends and chosen support people (for example, from a consumer advocacy organisation) may have in a patient or consumer’s care, and allow time for the patient or consumer to talk to them before making decisions and when healthcare services: develop policies and procedures to support patients, consumers, families and carers to be involved in decision-making provide a variety of ways for patients and consumers to share their experiences and ideas, and become more actively involved in decisions about healthcare service policies and planning

6. PRIVACY This right is enhanced when healthcare providers: ensure health information of patients and consumers are only shared with appropriate healthcare providers recognise patients and consumers right to access their health record, and are prepared to discuss the contents with them clearly communicate the reason for any constraints on someone’s access to their complete health record, and procedures (such as FoI) available to gain full access and when healthcare services: ensuring facilities and procedures are in place so that information about patients and consumers is treated in confidence provide systems to support patients and consumers to access their information where permitted under law

7. COMMENT This right is enhanced when healthcare providers: acknowledge and take seriously all comments and feedback made by patients and consumers, and participate in complaints resolution processes ensure that feedback channels are available, and communicated to the patient or consumer through the period of care establish reflective practice to ensure continuous improvement, including in response to comments from patients and consumers and when healthcare services: provide a variety of ways for patients, consumers, families, carers and chosen support people to make comment or complaints about their care clearly communicate their complaints procedures to patients and consumers without having to be asked for them (for example by putting brochures in reception and patient information packs) have a quality improvement system in place that considers issues emerging from complaints

Summary The Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights has been endorsed by all Health Ministers for use in Australia The Victorian government has produced The Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights in Victoria brochure for use with patients and consumers All participants have a role in ensuring healthcare rights are realised This will contribute to a safe and high quality healthcare system.

Information The brochure is available in: English 25 community languages Braille Audio file at: