CLIENT RIGHTS & RESPONSIBILITIES
The Blue Mountain’s Women’s Health & Resource Centre is committed to assisting women to be aware of their rights as health care clients, and to help women put these rights into action.
YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO:
• A welcoming, safe and supportive environment in the Centre.
• Professional and prompt service.
• Be treated with dignity, courtesy and respect, including respect for your culture.
• Receive services in a non-discriminatory manner at all times.
• Confidentiality and privacy.
• Know the name of the staff member/s assisting you.
• Have the services of an interpreter.
• Receive information to assist health choice.
• Make decisions about your own health care.
• Accept or reject advice or treatment.
• Read your health records with your health care professional, and be given a copy upon written request
• Refuse to take part in research and experiments, or to allow data from your health record to be used for research.
• Refuse services from students.
• Receive fair investigation of complaints.
CLIENT RESPONSIBILITIES:
Rights also come with responsibilities. Those we would like you to be aware of include the responsibility to:
• Be on time for appointments and contact the Centre if you are unable to keep your appointment.
• Ask questions about your health condition and any suggested treatments.
• Know your personal medical history, including details of any medications currently being used.
• Inform Centre workers if you are seeing someone else for the same problem.
• Respect the rights of other women using the Centre, including their right to privacy and confidentiality.
• Not to be under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol when attending the Centre for any appointment.
• Treat the staff of the Centre with courtesy and respect.
• Assist in seeking a fair resolution to any complaint you make of the Centre.
• Help make this Centre a safe place for all women.
TO MAKE A COMPLAINT
Please speak to a staff member or the manager if you have any complaints about the service you receive.
If you wish to make a complaint or suggest ways to improve the service you can:
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- Talk to a staff member
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- Place feedback or complaints forms in the feedback box (located near reception). If you want a response, please leave contact details.
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- Contact the Manager in person or via email - manager@bmwhrc.org
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- Contact the Chairperson of our Management Committee via email - chairperson@bmwhrc.org
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- Write a letter (marked confidential) to:
BMWHRC (Manager or Chairperson)
124 Lurline Street, Katoomba, 2780
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You can lodge a complaint with the Health Care Complaints Commission - www.hccc.nsw.gov.au
1800 043 159; TTY (02) 9219 7555.
CONFIDENTIALITY:
Your information remains confidential to our health care team. If it is necessary to refer you to another service, we will always ask your explicit consent, in writing, before we transfer any information verbally or otherwise, to another service. Similarly, if you have been referred to this service by someone else, we will not give them any feedback about you without your written consent.
LIMITS OF CONFIDENTIALITY:
There are specific instances where confidentiality around a particular matter cannot be maintained, namely, the case of child abuse or neglect, stated intention to harm self or others, or disclosure regarding a serious crime. In these instances, staff are required by law to notify the appropriate authorities.
Your medical record can also be subpoenaed to court, as can individual members of staff who are bound to be
truthful witnesses.
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