Rights & Responsibilities

In exciting news The Bays Hospital was recently voted Best Maternity Hospital in Australia in a survey conducted by Medibank Private.  Read More

The Bays Hospital Building For Your Future expansion commenced in September 2010.  The redevelopment of the hospital has recently been completed.  Read More

The provision of appropriate and effective health care requires a partnership between you, the patient, and your chosen health care facility. To ensure you receive quality healthcare it is important that you understand your rights and responsibilities.

For further information please refer to the booklet 'Know Your Rights and responsibilities as a private patient in hospital' Private Patients' Hospital Charter' This can be found on your locker. If you do not have one, please ask your nurse for a copy.

Your Rights
The Bays Hospital respects the patient's right to participate in health care choices that affect them. As such you have a right to:

• Have access to, and receive, the best health care available.
• Be treated respectfully and with regard to personal dignity at all times.
• Be treated without discrimination in any form.
• Have your cultural and religious beliefs respected.
• Feel safe, clean and comfortable within the hospital environment.
• Be informed, prior to and during admission, about your treatment, investigations or operation and the alternatives available in terms you can understand.
• Be accurately and adequately informed about the hospital services available and the cost of your care and stay in hospital.
• Ask questions about your treatment and obtain a second opinion should you wish to do so.
• Give your informed consent for medical treatment; you also have the right to refuse treatment. You may also appoint someone to make medical decisions for you in the event you lose the capacity to do so.
• Participate in decisions made about your ongoing needs upon discharge and receive information about available services.
• Discharge yourself against your doctor's advice, however, you will be asked to sign a form accepting responsibility for your decision.
• Be informed about the information that is collected about you and who has access to it.
• Have your personal privacy and the confidentiality of personal information, conversations and medical records maintained.
• Request access to your medical record, this will require completion of a form and a small fee will be charged. Requests should be made via the Unit Manager, Hospital Supervisor or Health Information Manager. Access may be denied, however you have the right to contact the Health Services Commissioner for further advice.
• Know the identity, professional status and qualifications, and how to contact the staff involved in caring for you.
• Receive visitors and contact people outside the hospital during your stay
• Access an accredited interpreter for essential information such as admission, and discussions about your medical history and treatment. Please inform your nurse or doctor as soon as possible if this service is required.

Your Responsibilities
To assist hospital staff in providing you with the best possible health care, it is important that you take responsibility for:

Compliments, Suggestions and Complaints
The Bays Hospital strives to provide high quality service and care and while every effort is made to ensure this occurs, occasionally a concern or issue may arise.

Internal Informal Process
If you have a comment or complaint, please bring the matter to the attention of a staff member on duty at the time, or to the Unit Manager, who is in charge of the ward. Our staff members want to resolve issues quickly, but they need to be told about them first.

Often, patients and family members can see ways that services can be improved. If you have ideas or suggestions, please share them with us and let the staff know.

It is our policy to follow up and action any issues brought to our attention and to pursue a satisfactory resolution.

Internal Formal Process
If you would like to make a formal statement about your care or the services, written letters may be forwarded to The Director of Nursing. Alternatively, you may prefer to complete a “Complaints/Compliments/Suggestions Form”. These forms are available from the desk at the Nurses Station. A copy is also available at the back of the Patient Information Folder in your room.

External Formal Process
If you are not satisfied with the manner in which your complaint is dealt with by the Hospital, you can contact an independent complaints resolution body. These bodys are listed at the back of the “Private Patients' Hospital Charter” booklet. This booklet can be found in your room locker. If you do not have one, please ask your nurse for a copy.