The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care has launched a revised charter of healthcare rights for the people of Australia, encouraging them to be actively engaged in the decisions their healthcare provider may make.
The new second edition of the charter describes the rights that apply to people in all healthcare settings across Australia and reflects an increased focus on person-centred care.
It outlines what every person can expect when receiving care and describes the seven fundamental rights including access, safety, respect, partnership, information, privacy and giving feedback.
Announcing the revised charter, the Chair of the Commission, Villis Marshall said it marked the first major update to the original document, adopted by Australian Health Ministers in 2008.
“The inaugural charter was a landmark document and the second edition builds on that strong foundation,” Professor Marshall said.
“Community attitudes to health are constantly evolving and we reviewed the charter through that lens, to ensure it reflected what the wider community believed are their appropriate healthcare rights in today’s landscape, and to clarify areas that required further explanation.”
He said the revised charter explained a patient’s rights to privacy in practice.
“It expands on the importance of informed consent and open disclosure, and it reflects the increased focus of the medical profession on partnering with the consumer in the delivery of healthcare in Australia,” Professor Marshall said.
The single-page charter can be accessed at this PS News link.
