My Healthcare Rights

Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights

Second edition - Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care

The Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights describes what you can expect when receiving health care in Australia. You can read or download the full charter (PDF) from the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care.

I have a right to:

Access

• Healthcare services and treatment that meets my needs

Safety

• Receive safe and high quality health care 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

• Clear information about my condition, the possible benefits and risks of different tests and treatments, so I can give my informed consent
• Receive information about services, waiting times and costs
• Be given assistance, when I need it, to help me to understand and use health information
• Access my health information
• Be told if something has gone wrong during my health care, 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 about the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights, ask a member of our team or visit safetyandquality.gov.au/your-rights.