Patients and Visitors

Patient rights

Patient rights

As a patient, you have the right to access health services including emergency medical treatment without discrimination, you have the right to be treated with respect and dignity and to be included in all decisions and choices about your care.

Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights

This is the second edition of the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights. These rights apply to all people in all places where health care is provided in Australia. The Charter describes what you, or someone you care for, can expect when receiving health care.

The Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights describes seven key rights of consumers and patients when interacting with health services and programs. You can read more at the Australian Charter of Rights website.

You have the right to:

Access
  • Access to healthcare is a fundamental right for everyone
Safety
  • Patients, consumers and healthcare providers are entitled to a safe, secure and supportive healthcare environment
Respect
  • All participants in the healthcare system are entitled to be treated with respect and not be discriminated against in any way
Communication
  • Patients and consumers have a right to be informed about services, treatment, options and costs in a clear and open way
Participation
  • Patients and consumers have a right to be included in decisions and choices about their care and health needs
Privacy
  • Patients and consumers have a right to privacy and confidentiality of provided information
Comment
  • All participants in the healthcare system have a right to comment and share concerns, and should be encouraged to provide feedback about the services they receive

Resources

Concerned about a patient in hospital who is getting worse or not improving? (Ryan’s Rule)

Ryan's Rule assists you to get help when you are concerned about a patient in hospital who is getting worse or not improving. All West Moreton hospitals and health services fully support this initiative.

Background

Ryan Saunders was nearly three years old when he tragically died in hospital. His death was found to be in all likelihood preventable. Staff did not know Ryan as well as his mum and dad knew him. When Ryan’s parents were worried he was getting worse they didn’t feel their concerns were acted on in time. Ryan’s Rule has been developed to provide patients of any age, families and carers with another way to get help.

If you are concerned

If you have any concerns you wish to raise simply follow these steps:

Step 1: Talk to a nurse or doctor about your concerns. If you are not satisfied with the response:

Step 2: Talk to the nurse in charge of the shift. If you are not satisfied with the response:

Step 3: Phone 13 HEALTH(13 43 25 84) or ask a nurse and they will call on your behalf. Request a Ryan's Rule Clinical Review and provide the following information:

  • hospital name
  • patient's name
  • ward, bed number (if known)
  • contact phone number.

A Ryan's Rule nurse or doctor will review the patient and assist.

Inform My Care - compare Queensland hospitals and residential aged care services

Find and compare public and private hospitals and residential aged care services in Queensland.

Inform My Care allows Queenslanders to search across public and private hospital facilities for information on maternity options and outcomes, post-surgery infection rates, elective surgery wait times and other performance indicators, enabling you to make informed healthcare decisions.

Compare the performance of facilities on a range of measures of health facilities near you by visiting www.informmycare.health.qld.gov.au

Your health record

You can access your patient records on request. To do this you will need to complete a Release of  Information form, which can be obtain through the Health Information department or the front reception at Ipswich Hospital. 

If you want this information released to a third party, for example, your GP, you will need to provide written consent with the details of the third party. For more information please contact our Release of Information Officer on 3810 1447.

Advanced Health Directives and Enduring Power of Attorney

An Advanced Health Directive and an Enduring Power of Attorney are legal documents that record your  intentions for future health treatments and identifies someone that can represent you and carry out your wishes should you be unable to represent yourself.

An Advanced Health Directive records decisions about health treatments that you would like, or not like to receive, should you be unable to speak for yourself. It gives guidance to your health care team and Enduring Power(s) of Attorney. This document is only used if you cannot speak for yourself.

An Enduring Power of Attorney is a legal document that gives the person you appoint to represent you, the power to make decisions on your behalf. It also gives them the power to speak for you, should you be  unable to speak for yourself.

A lawyer or a Justice of the Peace can assist you with the completion of an Enduring Power of Attorney and Advanced Health Directives documents.

Click here for more information

Human Rights Act 2019

As a public health service, West Moreton Health is committed to respecting, protecting and promoting human rights, while providing safe and high-quality health care.

Under the Human Rights Act 2019, West Moreton Health has an obligation to give proper consideration to the human rights, and to act and make decisions in a way that is compatible with human rights.

For more information about your human rights, please refer to the Queensland Human Rights Commission website.

Patient rights for mental health consumers

An Independent Patient Rights Adviser (IPRA) acts independently and impartially to provide advice to mental health consumers.

They are not subject to the direction of any person in relation to the advice given to the patient or a patient’s nominated support persons, family, carers or other support persons.

Patients can ask to speak to an IPRA at any time. Click on this link for more information.

Interpreter services in Queensland Health

Queensland Health provides interpreters in Queensland Health public facilities in more than 130 languages.

Interpreters are provided on-site (face-to-face), via video conference or over the phone. Interpreters are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and are provided at no charge to our patients.

Resources: www.health.qld.gov.au/multicultural/interpreters/qhis-for-public 

Multicultural services

Queensland Health is committed to improving and maintaining the health and wellbeing of multicultural communities, families and individuals in Queensland.

Here you will find information about the Queensland health system and services, translated health information and resources, and information about multicultural activities, events and organisations. 

Resources:  

Informed consent and shared decision-making

Before a doctor, nurse or any health care practitioner can examine or treat you, they usually need your consent or permission. For example, a doctor asking you if they can take your blood pressure and you position your arm so they can do the task. Sometimes, depending on the seriousness of the proposed treatment or procedure, or if it involves an anaesthetic, they will ask you to sign a consent form. If you later change your mind, you can withdraw that consent, even if you have signed a form.

It is important that you have enough information so that you understand and can make an appropriate decision about the proposed treatment or procedure. For serious procedures that carry some risk you will be provided with Consent Forms and Patient Information Sheets which provide information such as what the procedure involves, what to expect before and after the procedure or treatment, the risks and benefits and any alternative options that maybe available to you. Providing this information assists you to become more actively involved in your own health care decision making.

This information has been designed to support and not to replace the time spent discussing your treatment or procedure with your doctor, nurse or healthcare practitioner.

More information: www.health.qld.gov.au/consent

Julian’s Key – health passport communication tool

Julian’s Key was developed by West Moreton Health and is named after a young man with disability who passed away in Ipswich Hospital in 2011.

Julian’s Key is a patient/carer-controlled communication tool designed to improve communication and empower people with a disability, their families and carers, to be more involved in their health care.

The Health Passport includes key information – in order of critical, important and useful – in a format that can be shared quickly and easily with carers and health staff. It is available as a mobile application (via the Apple App store or Google Play store), an editable PDF and a paper-based form.

Want to have your say about the health care we provide?

Your feedback is always welcome. Connect with us by:

Justice of the Peace (JP)

Queensland Justices of the Peace (JPs) and Commissioners for Declarations (Cdecs) volunteer to serve the public by signing documents that need a qualified witness.

Their services range from witnessing and signing formal documents to hearing certain types of court matters. By performing these services, they allow lawyers and the courts to concentrate on complex legal matters.

There are 3 different types of witnessing officer in Queensland, with varying powers and responsibilities.They are:

Find the nearest JPs in the Community program site near you.


Ipswich Hospital JP

A volunteer Justice of the Peace or Commissioner for Declarations is available at Ipswich Hospital at the East Street entrance foyer, Chelmsford Avenue. 

Operating hours is Monday 10-11am and an inpatient service is available from 11am-12pm.

For more information phone (07) 3810 1111.