Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights
Everyone should be able to have safe and good care. This is your right.
The Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights is a guide to how you should be treated during your care.
You should tell us what things that matter to you during your care. This is your responsibility.
Versions of the charter
- Read different versions of the charter – English, Easy English, charter for people with cognitive impairment, LGBTIQ+
- Read the charter in different languages – available in 19 languages
- Use different multimedia to understand the charter – includes video and audio files
Human rights
Under Queensland’s Human Rights Act 2019 we have a legal duty to respect, protect and promote human rights.
Learn more about your human rights under the Act.
Plan your treatment and care
Clinical handover
When you're in hospital, you'll often see nurses and other staff at your bedside discussing your care. We call this a clinical handover. It allows the nurses to discuss your care to ensure it continues as planned. These discussions can include doctors and other health professionals.
During clinical handover, you'll meet the nurse coming on duty for the next shift. The nurses may share:
- your medical history
- your clinical condition
- tests and procedures that you've had or you'll have soon
- what help you need with daily tasks such as showering and toileting
- plans for your discharge, even if it's a few days away.
You can ask a friend or family member to be at your clinical handover.
Making health decisions
Advance care planning
Advance care planning is thinking about and making choices now that will guide your future care.
Some people have strong beliefs about what they want to happen with their care in the future. If you do, it's important to make your plans and wishes known now.
You might need to make some tough decisions while you're in hospital. These could be about your treatment and care if you're seriously ill or facing the end of life.
We encourage you to discuss options with your health care team, family and carers.
It’s important for you to give clear instructions about your preferences and beliefs. You should also let your family and health care team know about advance health directive or power of attorney that you've made.
Find out more about advance care planning on the Queensland Government website. They also have different advance care planning documents you can use to help make your wishes clear.
Acute resuscitation plan
This is a medical order about the treatments you want if you become very sick and can't speak for yourself.
Find out more about acute resuscitation plans [PDF 118 KB] on the Clinical Excellence Queensland website.
Register as an organ and tissue donor
You can register to donate your organs or tissue when you die, or as a living donor.
Make sure you tell your family and friends if you want to be a donor. You can include your wishes in advance care planning.
To find out more visit the DonateLife website.
Raise concerns about a patient's health (Ryan's Rule)
Ryan's Rule is a 3 step process to support patients of any age, their families and carers, to raise concerns if a patient’s health condition is getting worse or not improving as well as expected.
Read more about the Ryan’s Rule process on the Queensland Government website.
Independent Patient Rights Advisers
If you’re having mental health treatment or care, an Independent Patient Rights Adviser can help you and your support person:
- understand your rights and responsibilities, including getting a second opinion or making a complaint
- share your views, wishes and preferences with your doctor and other health professionals
- prepare for mental health review tribunals
- get in touch with advocacy services, who can also help you understand your rights
- organise future planning documents like an Advance Health Directive and an Enduring Power of Attorney.
They can also help you choose a nominated support person (NSP), who can make decisions about your treatment if you’re unable to.
How to use the IPRA Service
You can ask to talk to an Independent Patient Rights Adviser by phone, email or in person.
- Phone: 1800 MSH IPRA (1800 674 772)
- Email: msh_ipra@health.qld.gov.au
Read more about the support we offer on the Queensland Health website.
Feedback
You have a right to provide feedback.
We value your feedback and want you to tell us what is working well and where we can do better.
Access information
You have the right to ask for information about us, and to ask about information we hold about you.
Learn more about your right to information.