Your healthcare rights
At the Child and Adolescent Health Service we aim to provide children, young people, families and carers with the highest level of care when using our services.
The Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights explains what you, or someone you care for, can expect when receiving health care from us.
The Charter of Mental Health Care Principles set out what you can expect when receiving mental health services from us.
While in our care, you have a right to:
Access
- Healthcare services and treatments that meet your/your child’s needs
Safety
- Receive safe and high quality healthcare that meets national standards
- Be cared for in an environment that makes you/your child feel safe
Respect
- Be treated as an individual and with dignity and respect
- Have your/your child’s culture, identity, beliefs and choices recognised and respected
Partnership
- Ask questions and be involved in open and honest communication
- Make decisions with your/your child’s healthcare provider, to the extent that you choose and are able to
- Include the people that you want in planning and decision-making
Information
- Clear information about your/your child’s condition and the possible benefits and risks of different tests and treatments so you can give your informed consent
- Receive information about services, waiting times and costs
- Be given assistance, when you need it, to help you understand and use health information
- Request access to your/your child’s health information
- Be told if something has gone wrong during your/your child’s healthcare; how it happened; how it may affect you; and what is being done to make care safe
Privacy
- Have your/your child’s personal privacy respected
- Have information about your/your child’s health kept secure and confidential
Give feedback
- Provide feedback or make a complaint without it affecting the way that you/your child are treated
- Have your concerns addressed in a transparent and timely way
- Share your experience and participate to improve the quality of care and health services
My Health in my Hands - healthcare rights for young people
How you can help us
CAHS is committed to child and family centred care. This means we provide care in partnership with our children, young people, families and carers. To help us provide the best care, we ask you to:
- Tell us if you have concerns about the care you are receiving from our service and help us identify where we can make improvements
- Ask questions if there’s anything you don’t understand
- Attend appointments or tell us in advance if you need to reschedule
- Let us know of any change in your personal information, including contact numbers
- Share accurate health information with us
- Follow the instructions for your child’s agreed treatment and let us know if there are any problems
- Let us know about any special needs you and/or your family have, particularly any cultural, religious or access needs.
We want our services to be delivered in safe and supportive environments, so we ask all staff, families, patients/clients and visitors to:
- Treat all people you meet in the health service (staff, volunteers, patients, their families) with care, dignity and consideration.
- Behave in a manner that is not aggressive or abusive.
- Tell us about recent illnesses and hospital visits, symptoms, medications, allergies and other health related matters.
- Tell us about any religious or cultural beliefs and requirements.
- Ask questions and talk to your family before making any decisions about your health care if relevant.
- Follow staff instructions regarding treatment and care.
- Respect the confidentiality and privacy of others.
- Take care of personal property and respect Child and Adolescent Health Service property.
- Be on time for appointments and let us know if you need to cancel or reschedule and notify us if your contact details change.
- Know that the Child and Adolescent Health Service has a special role in training health care professionals. Each person’s treatment may provide an opportunity for such training.
Feedback
We welcome your feedback, both positive and negative. It helps us provide you with a better service that meets our vision of healthy kids, healthy communities.
No smoking
To protect patients, clients, visitors and staff, all CAHS sites are a smoke-free environment.
Filming and photography
You can film and photograph your child while they are a patient or client at CAHS.
However, any photography or filming of CAHS staff (all staff), other children or their family/carers without their permission is prohibited to ensure their privacy
Do you need an interpreter?
Interpreters are available if you have difficulties with English. Please speak to one of our staff or call the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) on 131 450 to facilitate your call.
You can also access translated information about the Charter, including in 19 community languages, braille and Auslan versions.
Support from Aboriginal health services
Perth Children’s Hospital
Aboriginal Liaison Officers (ALOs) provide assistance and support to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families with children and young people attending PCH. You can get in touch with an Aboriginal Liaison Officer by:
- Visiting Clinic L on Level 4 at PCH (the ALOs can visit you on the ward if you would prefer)
- Phone: 6456 2222 (asking for the Aboriginal Liaison Officer)
- Asking your child’s nurse or doctor to make a referral for you.
Community Health
The Aboriginal Health Team provide culturally appropriate and secure services to the Aboriginal community across the Perth metropolitan area. Find your local Aboriginal Health team here.
CAMHS
The Statewide Specialist Aboriginal Mental Health Service (SSAMHS) team supports Aboriginal young people and families in accessing culturally safe mental health services. You can call or email your local Community Mental Health Clinic for more information about the SSAMHS team.