Customer Services Charter

East Metropolitan Health Service is committed to respecting the rights of patients under the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights (external site).

Summary of public patients' rights in Western Australian public hospitals

All patients in Western Australian public hospitals have a number of fundamental rights to:

1. choose to receive free public hospital services as a public patient, or to choose to be treated as a private patient in a public hospital with an associated cost
2. receive treatment based on your health needs, and, if you need to wait for this treatment, to be told how long you can expect to wait
3. have access to a range of public hospital services regardless of where you live in Western Australia
4. have access to an interpreter
5. agree or refuse to participate in medical/nursing student training or medical research
6. be treated with respect, dignity and consideration for your privacy and special needs
7. be accompanied by a family member, friend, carer or person of your choice where appropriate
8. receive safe and high quality health care provided with professional care, skill and competence
9. receive a clear explanation of any proposed treatment, including possible risks and alternatives, before agreeing or refusing to have the treatment
10. seek a second opinion
11. be given information about your continuing health care before you leave the hospital and to have your contact details kept up-to-date
12. apply for access to your medical records under the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act 1992 and to have personal information kept confidential
13. compliment, comment or complain about the health care you receive, and to be given information about how to lodge a complaint, without compromising your health care.

To read more about your rights in your own language please visit the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights translations (external link).