Patients Rights and Responsibilities
Access to safe and effective services
We will provide access to appropriate and timely care in a safe environment, delivered by competent, skilled, and trusted professionals.
Patient safety and infection prevention and control are paramount and are at the centre of our patient care. You have the right, should your appointment be cancelled, to receive timely notice of the cancellation and to be given a new appointment at the earliest convenience.
Dignity and respect
You have the right to be treated in a courteous manner, with dignity, respect and compassion by every member of staff. We respect diversity of culture, beliefs, values and other characteristics such as age, gender, sexual orientation, faith, disability, in line with clinical decision making.
Religious beliefs
You have the right to be treated with respect for your religious and philosophical beliefs.
Privacy and confidentiality
You have the right to have your privacy respected, especially when the nature of your clinical condition is being discussed with you, and or, your relatives. You have a right to total confidentiality in respect of your medical records. Confidentiality will be upheld during quality assurance audits. Your medical record or personal information will not be released to any organisation outside of the St Vincent’s Healthcare Group without your permission (except in the event of your referral or transfer to another hospital/healthcare professional or as a requirement of statutory obligations).
Patient Responsibilities
We ask you to:
- Keep all appointments and inform the relevant staff if you cannot attend.
- Provide accurate and complete information about your present condition, past illnesses, hospitalisations, medications, alternative therapies and other relevant information such as financial and health insurance details when attending the Clinic.
- Participate in treatment decisions, follow treatment recommendations and instructions.
- Ask questions when you donʼt understand information or instructions.
- Be considerate of the rights and the property of others, including patients and staff.
- Treat staff, fellow patients, carers and visitors politely with respect, dignity and consideration. We will not accept violence, racial, sexual or verbal harassment.
- Comply with the hospitalʼs hygiene, infection prevention and control and smoke-free policies.
Positive and negative comments
We welcome your feedback about our care and services. We will work to address your concerns. This information helps us to continually improve our quality standard.
