As a patient at Mater you have a right:

1. To be treated with respect, dignity, care, consideration, courtesy and understanding of your individual spiritual, emotional, social, physical and cultural needs.
2. To be involved in the planning of your continuing health care needs, from admission through to discharge from our hospital.
3. To be informed of services available at Mater or in the community that you can access.
4. To have a family member or nominated person present when you receive information about your condition.
5. To ask for a second opinion and extra information on any diagnosis or treatment.
6. To withdraw consent and refuse any treatment after discussion about the outcomes of your decision with the health care professionals caring for you.
7. To be informed of the names and roles of key health care providers and be able to refuse a particular health care provider at any time.
8. To have access (with advance notice) to a confidential interpreter service.
9. To refuse to take part in clinical training or medical research without reason.
10. To have your medical history and personal information kept confidential to the extent allowed by the law.
11. To choose who is able to visit you and the right to refuse to see visitors.
12. To receive an itemised final account for services within the hospital’s control.
13. To express an opinion or make reasonable verbal or written complaints regarding your treatment or any facilities or services which you feel are below your reasonable expectations. If you have concerns with any aspect of your care please discuss this with the staff looking after you. If you would like to voice a concern or make a complaint, you may wish to speak to the Nurse Unit Manager or the nurse in charge of that particular shift. Alternatively you may wish to contact the Patient Representative on 07 3163 8303.

As a patient at Mater you or your authorised representative have a responsibility:

1. To give staff as much information as you can about your health and any ethnic, cultural or religious beliefs that may affect your care.
2. To give the hospital accurate information about your personal and health details including current treatment and medications including recreational drugs or natural remedies.
3. To be well informed about your condition and proposed treatment, before giving consent to any procedure. Feel free to ask for more information.
4. To keep to the agreed treatment plan and discuss any desired change.
5. To consider the consequences of refusing to comply with instructions and recommendations.
6. To inform staff if you are having any problems or reactions to the treatment or the medicines being taken.
7. To inform staff if you have any concerns about your discharge from hospital and the instructions you need to follow at home.
8. To inform staff if you have an Advance Health Directive/Enduring Power of Attorney which includes health care instructions before or at the time of the admission or when consenting to treatment which might be relevant to the directives.
9. To understand that there may be a reason why a service is not available at a particular time.
10. To tell staff if you change your contact details.
11. To be on time for appointments and let staff know in advance if you want to cancel.
12. To finalise any accounts relating to your hospitalisation.
13. To be considerate and respectful of the confidentiality, privacy and wellbeing of others including staff, volunteers, patients and visitors and ask your visitors to be considerate.
14. To show respect for hospital property as well as the property of other persons.
15. To take responsibility for your personal belongings.

Voicing a concern or giving a compliment

Your feedback, both positive and negative, is extremely valuable and helps us to continue to improve our services. If at any time during your visit, you feel your needs are not being met, please don’t hesitate to speak to our staff. If you would like to voice a concern or make a complaint, you may wish to speak to the Nurse Unit Manager or the nurse in charge of that particular shift. Alternatively you may wish to contact the Patient Representative on 07 3163 8303. We encourage you to provide us with this feedback to enable us to improve our service to you.

You may also refer your complaints to the Health Quality Complaints Commission—HQCC on telephone 07 3234 0272 or free call 1800 077 308. The Commission is available as an independent body to deal with your concerns about the health care you have received.

Privacy coordinator

If you would like to have access to your medical records, please contact Mater’s Privacy Coordinator on telephone 07 3163 3422.