Your Rights and Responsibilities

Patient/Client Rights and Responsibilities

Patients have the right to know the identity and professional status of all individuals providing their care.

Lismore Base Hospital is required by law to obtain a valid consent of everyone who is to have an operation or procedure in the hospital.

This consent is based on adequate information concerning the patient/clients� condition and it must be specific to the current episode of care.

If the patient does not fully understand the nature of their operation, they can request to speak to their doctor and ask for information in plain English language regarding their illness, its likely course, the expected treatment, including the risks.

Patients have the right to seek a second medical opinion if they so wish.

Patients have the right to complete and current information concerning diagnosis, treatment and any known prognosis and to be involved at all times in decision making concerning their ongoing care.

Patients have the right to be accorded every possible personal courtesy and privacy and confidentiality of their information.

Patients have the right to considerate, respectful care at all times and under all circumstances.

Patients have the right to expect reasonable safety in so far as the practice and environment are concerned.

Patients have the right to know how their information may be used.

Information may be handled in the following ways:

Confidential information about their health will only be given to another person, if this is important for their care, or is required or authorised by law.
Health care providers who are treating you, including those employed under contract such as Visiting Medical Officers, will have access to your health record regardless of where the treatment takes place.
A discharge summary will be sent to your GP when you leave hospital, unless you request it not be done.
Particular care will be taken to ensure strict control of access to certain sensitive records such as sexual assault, drug and alcohol, HIV/AIDS, domestic violence, sexual health, mental health, IVF and artificial insemination programs and records of children considered to be at risk.
As a matter of principle, such records should not be accessed by health care providers in other areas.
On occasions information from health records may be used for the purpose of teaching or research, where possible patients consent to this use will be obtained.
Under some Acts (Health Administration Act and the Public Health Act), the Department of Health is required to collect certain information on clients/patients receiving treatment in the public health system. In nearly all cases names are removed before this information is reported on.

Other authorities are legally entitled to certain information about matters such as Medicare eligibility, the registering of births and deaths, circumstances of death, drink-driving and cancer cases. (NSW Health, Information Privacy, Code of Practice, 2^nd Edition).

Patients have the right to be informed of the health care facility�s rules and regulations as they apply to them, as a patient and the mechanism for the initiation, review and resolution of any complaint they make.

Patients have the responsibility to provide to the best of their knowledge. Accurate and complete information about : present complaints, past illnesses, hospitalisation, medication and other matters relating to their health.

Patients are responsible for reporting whether they clearly comprehend a contemplated cause of action and what is expected of them.

Patients are responsible for their own actions if they refuse or do not follow the practitioners advice/instruction.

Patients have the responsibility to be aware of and respect the rights of other patients and staff in hospital.

Patients have the responsibility to be respectful of hospital property and policy whilst an inpatient.