Patient Rights & Responsibilities

As a patient of Northern Health your rights and responsibilities include the following:

It is your right:

• To be informed about services which are available through Northern Health,
• To be informed that you can choose to be treated as a public or private patient, and be advised that as a private patient additional costs may be incurred.  These costs may be recouped from your health fund.

It is your responsibility:

If you are a private patient to pay your attending doctor's fees and the Hospital's charges as billed.

It is your right:

• To bring a friend, relative or support person during consultation and where there are language difficulties,
• Where necessary to seek assistance from trained and accredited interpreters for essential communication.

It is your responsibility:

To be concise and correct in explaining your own medical history and to include any details of medication you are taking.

To answer questions about your health frankly and honestly and to discuss and make decisions with your doctor regarding any problems which you feel may be affecting your health or medical condition.

To inform the doctor involved in your care if you are currently in consultation with, or under treatment from, another health professional or receiving alternative medicine/therapy in connection with the same condition.

It is your right:

• To be provided by your doctor with a clear, concise explanation in non-medical terms of your condition, problem or disease,
• To be given a clear explanation of the procedure/treatment including risks, after effects or side effects associated with the procedure or treatment.

It is your responsibility:

To query any issues you don't understand with the doctor before you consent to any procedure/treatment.

It is your right:

• To give your informed consent before treatment begins,
• To withdraw your consent and refuse treatment at any time
• To be fully involved in decisions about your care and be given the opportunity to ask questions,
• To seek a second opinion.  We will endeavour to meet such requests whenever possible, although in some emergency situations this may not be feasible,
• To be involved with the decisions regarding your discharge, including information about further available services.  Your referring General Practitioner should also be involved in this process.  You may choose to discharge yourself at your own risk, however you will be asked to sign a form accepting responsibility for this decision.

It is your responsibility:

To accept the consequences of your own informed decisions about your treatment and discharge planning.

To comply with prescribed treatment, or inform the relevant health professionals that you do not intend to do so.

To be sure to keep appointments, or inform the relevant staff if you are unable to attend.

It is is your right:

• To receive prompt response in emergencies where time is critical,
• To refuse group student involvement in your treatment although some campuses of Northern Health are public teaching Hospitals,
• To have details of your condition and treatment kept confidential.  Every health professional is legally and ethically obliged to treat your health information as confidential (please refer to the Patient Privacy link for more information),
• To ask to stay with your child in Hospital, subject to the availability of facilities,
• To be treated in surroundings that allow privacy,
• To be treated with respect, care, consideration and dignity regardless of race, creed, sex, religion or nationality,
• To be informed if the treatment proposed is experimental or is to be part of medical research,
• To inform staff if you do not wish to see a visitor while you are in Hospital.

It is your responsibility:

To conduct yourself in an appropriate way and respect the well being and rights of other patients and staff.

Not to behave in a way that may interfere with current medical treatment, such as consuming alcohol or drugs whilst on Northern Health premises.

To raise questions or discuss any problems that you may be experiencing as soon as they occur with your Doctor, the Nurse Unit Manager or the Manager of the Department.

It is your right:

• To have access to the Northern Health's Compliments, Comments & Complaints process
• To gain access to your medical record under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act.

It is your responsibility:

To contact the Freedom of Information Officer at the relevant campus of Northern Health if you want information in relation to your care.

To inform the Hospital when asked if you do not wish your information be forwarded in relation to the continuation of your care after you leave hospital.

To know the name and address of your local doctor.

Emergency Department Policy

The Emergency Department at The Northern Hospital is primarily used for emergencies of an urgent nature.  Where urgent treatment is required to prevent the loss of life in an emergency, immediate treatment will be provided.  Non-emergency health needs will be treated within a reasonable time, according to clinical need and presenting conditions on the day.

Local GPs provide efficient and effective health services to meet most primary or initial health needs.  There is a General Practice Clinic on site at The Northern Hospital that provides a service for all non-emergency health needs at your convenience.

Please ask the staff at either the Hospital's Front Reception or the Emergency Department reception for the location of the General Practice Clinic, or contact the clinic on (03) 8405 8684. 

Discrimination Policy

Northern Health does not discriminate in any way.  Every patient is treated equally and respectfully.

Each campus of Northern Health has a Patient Advocate who can assist with any concerns. 

The Patient Advocate at The Northern Hospital can be contacted on (03) 8405 8000. 

How to Contact the Health Services Commissioner or the Aboriginal Liaison Officer

The Office of the Health Services Commissioner is an independent agency available to everyone who has a complaint about a health service provider in Victoria.  Any problem is usually best solved at the point of service within the relevant Hospital, however if you are not satisfied with the outcome you can contact the Commissioner on (03) 8601 5222 or for country callers 1800 136 066.

The Aboriginal Liaison Officer is also part of the Office of the Health Services Commissioner.  They can be contacted on (03) 8601 5217 or for country callers 1800 136 066.

The Patient Advocate at The Northern Hospital can also help you to contact the Commissioner or the Aboriginal Liaison Officer.