Code of Rights for Patients

The Code of Rights protects your rights as a user of health and disability services.
You have the following rights under the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights:

Right 1 – Right to be treated with respect

You have the right to be treated with respect, have your privacy respected and be treated in a way that takes into account your needs, values and beliefs.

Right 2 – Right to freedom from discrimination, coercion, harassment, and exploitation

You have the right not to be discriminated against, harassed or coerced into doing things that you don’t want to do.

Right 3 – Right to dignity and independence

You have the right to be treated in a way that respects your dignity and independence.

Right 4 – Right to services of an appropriate standard

You have the right to be treated with care and skill in a manner that meets your needs.

Right 5 – Right to effective communication

You have the right to open and honest communication in a way that enables you to understand what you are being told.

Right 6 – Right to be fully informed

You have the right to receive all the information that a reasonable patient would expect to receive to enable you to make an informed choice. You have the right to request a written summary of that information, and the right to ask questions.

Right 7 – Right to make an informed choice and give informed consent

You have the right to make an informed choice and give informed consent to treatment. You have the right to refuse treatment and to withdraw your consent to treatment.

You have the right to say who you would prefer to treat you and to have your preference met where practicable.

Right 8 – Right to support

You have the right to bring support people with you unless that would be unsafe or would interfere with another patient’s rights.

Right 9 – Rights in respect of teaching or research

You have the same rights when you are participating in, or it is proposed that you participate in, teaching or research.

Right 10 – Right to complain

You have the right to complain about any of your treatment providers and to have your complaint dealt with in a manner that is fair, simple and fast.