Your Rights and
Responsibilities
Latrobe Regional Hospital’s commitment to you is:
Providing quality patient care in a safe
environment where the rights of the individual are respected
Your Rights:
1 To access a wide range of
services that provide appropriate care of a high quality.
2 To experience safe care and treatment
in a clean and comfortable environment.
3 To expect privacy and confidentiality
about
your care, including medical history and personal
information.
4 To participate in decisions regarding your
health care including providing informed consent to treatment. You may also
appoint someone to make
medical decisions for you if you are unable
to at any point.
5 To seek a second opinion.
6 To receive prompt responses to questions or
concerns you raise about your health care.
7 To be introduced to staff who
assist with your care. You must also be kept informed of who is responsible
for your care and how to contact them.
8 To elect how you wish to be
addressed, for example by your first name or your title and surname.
9 To participate in the planning and preparation for
your
discharge. You may leave
the hospital against your doctor’s advice, however you may be asked to sign a
form accepting responsibility for your
decision.
10 To refuse treatment as permitted by
law.
11 To refuse involvement in student
education.
12 To receive treatment based on
medical need regardless of whether you are a public or private patient.
13 To decide if you wish to be admitted
as a public
or private patient.
14 To access your medical record in accordance with
the Freedom of Information Act (1989). This can be done through your doctor
or through Freedom of Information.
Please see “How can I gain access to
information about me?” (below)
15 To be treated with consideration, respect and dignity at all times.
16 To wear personal clothing of
your choice, in accordance with community standards, providing it does
not interfere with diagnostic procedures or treatment.
17 To have your language, cultural and spiritual needs
respected.
18 To request an accredited
interpreter and use an interpreter for essential information such as
admission and discussion about your medical history and treatment. Please see
“Interpreter Services” (below).
19 To raise concerns about any
aspect of the service without fear of being disadvantaged.
20 To refuse to participate in
research projects and to be provided, on request, with a copy of the hospital
policy on research.
21 To provide feedback on how services
could be improved. Please let staff know. A report on quality improvement,
the ‘Quality of Care Report’ is available upon request.
Your Responsibilities:
1 To the best of your knowledge provide accurate
information to those caring for you, including all prescribed/non
prescribed medications, drugs, remedies (eg herbal) or
substances you are taking.
2 To inform staff of any treatment you are receiving
from other health professionals.
3 To report any change in your
condition.
4 To participate in your care
and treatment.
5 To attend appointments made for you or
advise staff if you need to change an appointment.
6 To accept the consequences of your decisions in regard to
your care.
7 To respect the privacy, needs and dignity of others by being
courteous and considerate.
8 To acknowledge that violence and aggression
within the organisation is unacceptable and shall not
be tolerated.
9 To keep noise at a minimal level for the benefit
of those around you.
10 To comply with the Hospital Smoke Free Policy.
11 To ensure that your mobile phone is
switched off while inside the Hospital.
12 To keep only small amounts
of money and minimal personal items with you during
your hospital stay.
Interpreter Services:
What is an Interpreter?
An interpreter is a person who has
gained accreditation through the National Association of Accredited
Translators and Interpreters
(NAATI). Family and friends are
discouraged from acting as an interpreter.
An Interpreter:
• Interprets the spoken word from one language
to another.
• Is bound by a code of ethics.
• Does not add their opinion.
• Does not filter information (although
they may ask either party for clarification to best interpret the
information).
• Can be expected to interpret
objectively and accurately.
Using an Interpreter can ensure
that clients are:
• Making informed choices.
• Active participants in their
treatment.
When should an Interpreting
Service be used?
• When the service provider is having
difficulties communicating with the client.
• When a client is under stress
(language skills may be reduced).
• When communicating important
information, eg about hospital admission/discharge, medical history,
treatment, prescribed drugs,
entitlements or rights and
responsibilities.
Access to the Interpreting
Service
A hospital staff member can organise an
interpreter for a client. Most languages are available through the
interpreter service used by the hospital, however availability of an
interpreter cannot be guaranteed.
Latrobe
Regional Hospital interpreter services
Compliments, Comments &
Complaints:
Latrobe Regional Hospital appreciates
all feedback about the services we provide and the manner in which they have
been delivered. Feedback is used to continually improve the
quality of services we provide. All
feedback is confidential and will not affect the care and services provided
to you. Feedback is treated with respect and is dealt
with in a courteous and timely manner.
If you have any concerns, please ask to speak to a staff member directly
involved in your care.
If you wish to make a comment or
compliment or make a formal complaint, please contact the Customer
Liaison Officer at Latrobe Regional Hospital.
Contact details are 51 73 8003 or extension 8003 if calling from
a Hospital telephone.
Mental Health Service users can also
refer to the “Mental
Health Statement of Rights & Responsibilities”
published
by the Commonwealth of Australia (2000).
Aged Care Clients can also
contact the Aged Care Complaints
Resolution Scheme Free call 1800 550 552
Or in writing:
Aged Care Complaints Resolution Scheme
C/- Department of Health and Ageing
GPO Box 9848
Melbourne Vic 3001
If you do not believe that your
concerns have been dealt with adequately, you may contact the Health Services Commissioner.
Level 30, 570 Bourke Street
MELBOURNE VIC 3000
Telephone: 8601 5200 or
Freecall: 1800 136 006
Fax: 8601 5219
What happens to information
about me?
When you become a patient of Latrobe Regional Hospital a medical record is made. It contains your name, address, contact
details and information about your health problems
and the treatment that you receive.
Every time you attend or have contact
with the hospital, new information is added to your record.
Generally, we are required to keep your
medical records for 15 years after your last attendance.
The record is then destroyed using
secure measures such as shredding.
If you require information regarding
specific time periods for record retention please contact the Manager of the
Health Information Unit at Latrobe Regional
Hospital on 5173 8108.
Why is this information
necessary?
• It is necessary for us to collect and
keep this information to ensure that each health care professional involved
in your care has all the facts. Your previous history of health problems
and care can help us to quickly identify
which treatments are likely to be safe and effective for you and to reduce
the likelihood of repeating tests that you may have had in the past.
• This information may also be used for
research and planning, which will help us provide better health care overall.
In this situation, your personal details are removed so that you
cannot be identified.
• Individuals who carry out research
must follow strict guidelines and maintain the confidentiality of the
information they access.
• Information is only made available
for research projects which have been approved by the Latrobe Regional
Hospital Human Research and Ethics Committee.
How is my information protected
and who in the Hospital has access to it?
• Whether you are a public or private
patient, information about you is stored securely within the hospital.
• Computer stored information (such as
your name, address, date of birth, telephone number, pathology results and
diagnosis) allows health care professionals involved in
your care to access information more
easily and quickly when it is needed.
• Latrobe Regional Hospital maintains
strict policies with respect to who is allowed access to your personal
information. All staff employed by the hospital are bound by a strict
code of conduct with respect to
maintaining the confidentiality of your information.
Apart from Hospital staff, who
might have access to information about me?
You and/or your carer will be asked to
give permission before information about you is passed on to other services.
You have the right to refuse; however, this may lead to some
difficulties with your care after
leaving the hospital. If you have any reservations or questions, please ask a
member of your treating team.
• There are a number of services
outside the hospital that might be involved in your care, especially once you
leave the hospital. These services include your local doctor (also called
your GP),community nursing services,
your local council (which provides meals and home help) and possibly hostels,
nursing homes and private service providers.
• Prior to your discharge from
hospital, staff will discuss your needs and arrange these services for you,
in conjunction with your carer if applicable. Some information about you
and your situation needs to be given to
community agencies so that they can work out your requirements and arrange
for the services to start.
• You will also be seeing your local
doctor soon after leaving hospital, so the doctor needs to know the details
about your diagnosis, treatment and medications.
• We send a letter to your local doctor
after you leave hospital. This letter summarises your stay at the hospital,
your medications and any special instructions your doctor needs to
know. We may also send letters to your
local doctor following visits to the Community Rehabilitation Centre. These
letters may also be sent to the referring hospital or specialist, if
appropriate.
• Sometimes your local doctor will
write or telephone Latrobe Regional Hospital for additional information about
your treatment. In this situation, we routinely release information to the
doctor you have specified as your local
doctor. If you prefer this information not to be given to your local
doctor, please advise your treating doctor at Latrobe Regional Hospital.
Do other Hospitals and doctors
have access to information about me?
• If you are seen at a hospital other
than Latrobe Regional Hospital their staff may contact us to obtain
information about you so that you can be treated safely and effectively.
In some circumstances it may be necessary
for another treating doctor to contact Latrobe Regional Hospital for information
about care you have received.
Your written consent will be sought
prior to the information being released.
What if I am unable to give
consent for information about me being released?
If you are unable to give permission
for information to be released, written permission will be obtained from your
next of kin (spouse /partner, nearest relative over the age of 18),
guardian, or person you have nominated
to represent you. In an emergency, this may not be possible.
Who might contact me after I
have left Latrobe Regional Hospital?
A member of the care team may contact
you after you have left hospital to find out how you are getting on. This is
part of providing quality health care.
What other people receive
information about me?
In some circumstances the hospital is
obliged by law to release information about you.
Examples of this include:
• Presentation of your medical record
as evidence in court when subpoenaed (in the case of legal action).
• Reporting notifiable diseases to the Department
of Human Services (Victoria), or the Victorian Cancer Registry, as
appropriate.
• Reporting statistical information
about you to the Department of Human Services. The Department of Human
Services has a strict
policy (Privacy Policy August 2005)
relating to access and use of information. Information can only be collected,
used, stored, disclosed and
disposed of according to this policy.
How can I gain access to
information about me?
In accordance with the Freedom of
Information (FOI) Act 1988 and the Department of Human Services Privacy
Policy (August 2005), you have the right to request access to your medical
records and personal information held
by Latrobe Regional Hospital.
If there is information in the record, which
is not correct, or with which you disagree, you have the right to request
that it be amended.
Requests for access to your medical record
can be made in writing to:
The Freedom of Information
Officer
Latrobe Regional Hospital
PO Box 424, Traralgon
Latrobe City Vic 3844
A fee is charged for this service in
accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 1988.
Who do I contact for more information?
If you have any questions regarding
what happens to information about you, please contact the Manager of the
Health Information Unit at Latrobe Regional Hospital on 5173 8103.
Interfaith Pastoral Care
Services:
Pastoral Care Services can help people
in hospital by providing them with emotional and spiritual support.
Contacts:
Please ask our staff to contact a faith
representative.
Faith representatives available:
Bahai
Buddhist
Christian
Hindu
Muslim
Jewish
Sikh
The Reflection Space at Latrobe
Regional
Hospital can be used for:
• Private reflection
• Bereavement support
• Memorial services
• Relaxation sessions
• Meditation sessions
• Religious services
• Prayer services
• Honouring important celebrations
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