Patients’ Rights and Responsibilities

Patient Rights
While a patient at Peninsula Oncology Centre you can expect the best care our staff can provide.
As a patient you have a right to:

Be treated with respect, dignity and consideration for your personal and physical privacy
Have personal or health information dealt with in a confidential manner, except to enable another health care worker to assist in your care or when disclosure is authorised under law
Consideration of your beliefs, ethnic, cultural and religious practice
Consideration of special dietary needs
Receive information regarding your condition and treatment
Participate in decisions which affect you and your wellbeing
Refuse treatment and services with which you are uncomfortable (to the extent permitted by law)
Be informed of the identity and role of any Doctor, Nurse or Health Professional who attends you
To refuse the presence of health care workers not directly involved in your care
Seek assistance from a suitably qualified interpreter
Discharge yourself at any time despite the advice of your doctor or hospital staff
Request that a relative or friend join you when decisions are being made about your care or treatment
Seek a second medical opinion

As a patient you have the right to be informed before giving consent to:

Medical treatment
An estimate of costs that may be incurred while a patient at Peninsula Oncology Centre
Participation in any research project, or inclusion on a register (eg Cancer Register)

Patient Responsibilities
While a patient you have a responsibility to provide to the best of your knowledge, accurate and complete information about your present condition, past illnesses, hospitalisations, medications and other matters relating to your health.

While a patient you have a responsibility to advise if you understand your treatment and what is expected of you and to follow the treatment plan as recommended by your Oncologist and Nurses. You are responsible for your actions if you refuse treatment or do not follow instructions.

While a patient we request that you:

Are considerate of the rights of other patients and staff
Respect the property of others and the Centre

Complaint Resolution
At times people are afraid to make suggestions or complain. At Peninsula Oncology Centre we encourage both positive and negative feedback. Telling us if you have a problem or issue gives us the opportunity to review our procedures and improve patient care.

If you have a concern, please feel free to discuss it with the Director of Nursing. Your concerns will be dealt with as discretely as possible. We assure you that a patient or person making a complaint on your behalf will not be adversely affected because of the complaint.

The office of the Health Services Commissioner is independent and facilitates the resolution of consumer complaints about health services. The office of the Health Services Commissioner may be contacted on 03 8601 5200.

Privacy Policy
Peninsula Oncology Centre is committed to the protection of personal privacy of our patients, staff and other clients. Our policy is based on the Health Privacy Principles as detailed in the Health Records Act 2001, (VIC) and the National Privacy Principles as detailed in The Privacy (Private Sector Amendment) Act 2000. The policy deals with the collection, use and disclosure of personal health information as well as access and correction, data security and data retention.