Your rights under the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights
The Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights is for everyone, and describes how you should be treated when you come to see us. It applies to anyone in any place where you access or receive health care.
Understanding your rights
We know it can be hard to understand some information. You can find an easy English version of the Australian Chart of Healthcare Rights on the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care website.
This document has pictures and words to help people understand what the information is about.
Plan your treatment and care in advance
At some point in the future, you might not be able to make decisions about your health care. This might be due to an accident or an illness. It could be temporary or permanent.
Planning ahead helps you, your family and your health carers know what you do or don't want. It's important to do this before you have to face an urgent health issue. You can do this at any time, including when you're healthy.
Make sure you talk about this to the people close to you.
There are also some forms you can use to tell people about your wishes.
- A Statement of Choices explains your opinions and preferences for health care. If you can't make decisions for yourself, your loved ones and doctors can use this to help them make decisions.
- An Advance Health Directive is a legal document where you can give instructions about what should happen. You can also say who should make decisions on your behalf if you're unable to do so.
- An Acute Resuscitation Plan explains what should happen if you're critically ill or in an emergency, including whether you want to receive any life saving treatment.
Learn more about your options at My Care, My Choices.
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 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, go to DonateLife.
Access information
You have the right to ask for information about us, and to ask about information we hold about you.
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