Patient rights in health care
Friday, 09 August, 2019
A growing desire among the medical profession to partner with consumers in delivering health care is reflected in the latest .
The has launched the charter鈥檚 second edition.
The Australian Government agency said its charter described rights that applied to people in all healthcare settings across Australia and reflected an increased focus on person-centred care.
The charter outlined what every person could expect when receiving care and described seven fundamental rights including: access; safety; respect; partnership; information; privacy; and giving feedback. Its use was embedded in the .
The release marked the first major update to the original charter, adopted by Australian health ministers in 2008.
鈥淐ommunity attitudes to health are constantly evolving and we reviewed the charter through that lens, to ensure it reflected what the wider community believe are their appropriate healthcare rights in today鈥檚 landscape, and to clarify areas that required further explanation,鈥� Commission Chair Professor Villis Marshall said.
鈥淭he new charter explains a patient鈥檚 rights to privacy in practice, it expands on the importance of informed consent and open disclosure, and it reflects the increased focus of the medical profession on partnering with the consumer in the delivery of health care in Australia.鈥�
South Australia鈥檚 Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner Dr Grant Davies said the charter provided a set of clear directions to consumers of how they could participate in the health care they received.
鈥淚t encourages consumers to be equal partners in that healthcare delivery and it also makes health service providers aware of what their obligations are with consumers,鈥� he said.
The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care said healthcare professionals could use the charter to discuss with patients their rights when using the healthcare system.
The commission has developed resources to support healthcare providers when discussing patient rights.
For information about the charter, visit: .
Meanwhile, the has launched a for mental healthcare providers and their patients.
The agency said the toolkit was developed to ensure healthcare providers were equipped to assist their patients with clear and specific information to make an informed decision about using My Health Record.
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