Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights

The Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights is for everyone. It's a guide to how you should be treated during your care.

It aims to help patients, their families, carers and other support people get the most out of their health care.

You can read an Easy English version of the charter or download the charter in your language.

Your responsibilities

It’s important that you ask questions and talk about your health care before you make decisions.

To help us give you the best possible care, please tell us about any:

  • medicines, drugs or remedies you use
  • beliefs that may affect your treatment
  • problems with your treatment, or if you feel you need different treatment
  • other health professionals that are treating your condition
  • plans to leave your hospital unit, even for a short time.

If you’ve agreed to treatment, please follow the instructions we give you. If you’re waiting for treatment and your condition changes, see your GP.

We ask you to treat our staff and patients with respect and consideration while you’re in our care.

Planning your treatment and care

When you're in hospital, you'll often see nurses and other staff at your bedside discussing your care. We call this a clinical handover. It allows the nurses to share important information about your care so it continues as planned. These discussions can include doctors and other health professionals.

During a clinical handover, you'll meet the nurse coming on duty for the next shift. The nurses may share:

  • your medical history
  • your current clinical condition
  • tests and procedures that you've had, or you'll have soon
  • what help you need with daily tasks, such as showering and toileting
  • plans for your discharge, even if it's a few days away.

You can ask questions and talk to the nurses and other staff about your condition and care. You can also ask a friend or family member to be at your clinical handover.

Making health decisions

Advance care planning

Advance care planning is thinking about and making choices now that will guide your future care.

Some people have strong beliefs about what they want to happen with their care in the future. If you do, it's important to make your plans and wishes known now.

You might need to make some tough decisions while you're in hospital. These could be about your treatment and care if you're seriously ill or facing the end of life. We encourage you to discuss options with your health care team, family and carers.

Make sure you give clear instructions about your preferences and beliefs. You should also let your family and health care team know about any advance health directive or power of attorney that you've made.

Read more about advance care planning on the Queensland Government website. It also explains the advance care planning documents you can use to make your wishes clear.

Acute resuscitation plan

This is a medical order about the treatments you want if you become very unwell and can't speak for yourself.

Read more about acute resuscitation plans [PDF 118 KB] on the Clinical Excellence Queensland website.

Julian’s Key Health Passport

You can use the Julian’s Key Health Passport to help our staff get to know you and your needs. Fill it in and bring it with you each time you go to hospital.

If you’re a person with disability, the passport helps us understand your history and any risks or challenges you face. Knowing more about you helps us give you better care.

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.

Learn more on the DonateLife website.

Raise concerns about a patient's health (Ryan's Rule)

Ryan's Rule is a 3 step process to support patients, their families and carers. It’s used to raise concerns if a patient’s condition is getting worse or not improving as well as expected.

Read more about the Ryan’s Rule process on the Queensland Government website.

Independent Patient Rights Advisers

If you’re having mental health treatment or care, an Independent Patient Rights Adviser can help you and your support person:

  • understand your rights and responsibilities, including getting a second opinion or making a complaint
  • share your views, wishes and preferences with your doctor and other health professionals
  • prepare for mental health review tribunals
  • get in touch with advocacy services, who can also help you understand your rights
  • organise future planning documents like an Advance Health Directive and an Enduring Power of Attorney.

They can also talk to you about having a nominated support person (NSP).

Contact an adviser

You can ask to talk to an Independent Patient Rights Adviser by phone, email or in person.

Read more about the support we offer on the Queensland Government website.

Access to information

You have the right to ask for information about us, and to ask about information we hold about you.

Learn more about your right to information and your health record.

Last updated: October 2024

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