Patient rights and responsibilities

Your Rights and Responsibilities 

At Nexus Hospitals, we are committed to delivering healthcare that is safe, respectful and centred around you. We want you to feel informed, supported and involved in every stage of your care. Understanding your rights and responsibilities will help you make informed decisions and work in partnership with your healthcare team to achieve the best possible outcomes. 

Know Your Healthcare Rights 

As a patient, you have the right to: 

• Receive healthcare and services that are safe and of a high standard.  

• Be treated with dignity, courtesy and respect.  

• Have your cultural, religious and personal beliefs recognised and respected.  

• Receive clear information about your condition, treatment options, expected outcomes, risks and possible side effects.  

• Ask questions and discuss any aspect of your health or care that you feel is important.  

• Request an interpreter if English is not your preferred language.  

• Take the time to consider treatment options and discuss them with family members, friends or support people.  

• Seek a second medical opinion.  

• Give consent, refuse consent, or withdraw consent to treatment at any time without affecting your relationship with your healthcare providers.  

• Be informed of any expected out-of-pocket costs before treatment whenever possible.  

• Have your personal and medical information handled confidentially and in accordance with privacy legislation. 

To learn more about your healthcare rights and responsibilities as a private patient, please explore the resources below. 

While Nexus strives to deliver the highest standards of care and service, we recognise there may be occasions when patients, carers or visitors are dissatisfied with their experience. If this occurs, you have the right to raise your concerns or make a complaint, and we are committed to ensuring your feedback is heard, respected and appropriately addressed. 

You can provide feedback or make a complaint by: 

• Submitting the feedback form below 

• Speak with your treating doctor 

• Speak with an employee during your hospital visit. Our teams are friendly, approachable and will take the time to listen and document your complaint. 

• Email or phone the hospital. Your local Nexus Hospital contact details can be found here. 

If, for any reason you are not satisfied with the way your complaint is handled, you are welcome to contact your local state healthcare complaints office

Your Responsibilities 

Your healthcare is a partnership and to receive the best possible care, you do have certain responsibilities. These include simple courtesies and actions to assist those who are caring for you: 

• Provide accurate and complete information about your current health, medical history, allergies and medications.  

• Ask questions if there is anything you do not understand about your care or treatment.  

• Follow agreed treatment plans and hospital instructions, or discuss any concerns with your healthcare team.  

• Treat employees, fellow patients and visitors with courtesy and respect.  

• Make appropriate arrangements for your transport home following your procedure.  

• Understand and meet any financial obligations associated with your treatment. If you have private health insurance, and with your consent, we will work directly with your health fund. 

Expectations When Visiting a Nexus Hospital 

To help us maintain a safe, respectful and welcoming environment for everyone, we ask you to observe the following expectations. 

Requesting Medical Records 

Nexus Hospitals maintains a medical record for every patient who receives care at one of our facilities. Records may be stored securely either on-site or off-site, depending on the hospital and the age of the record. 

If you would like to request access to a medical record for yourself, your healthcare provider, or an authorised representative, please complete our online Medical Record Request Form. 

For privacy and security reasons, you will need to upload your identification when completing the form.

Please note that fees may apply and processing times can vary depending on the nature of the request.

Your Privacy Rights

You have important rights regarding your personal health information. You have the right to: 

• Understand how your health information is collected, used and stored. 

• Be informed about what happens to your health records. 

• Have a degree of choice and control over how your information is handled, where permitted by law. 

• Request access to your health records. 

• Request corrections if you believe information in your health record is inaccurate or incomplete. 

• Understand why and when your information may need to be shared to support your ongoing care and treatment. 

All healthcare providers have a legal obligation to keep your personal and health information secure, private and confidential. 

You may also be entitled to access the health information of your children, or adults for whom you hold appropriate legal authority, such as an Enduring Power of Attorney or equivalent legal appointment. 

For more information, please read the Nexus Hospitals Privacy Policy.

Patient Resources

If you require interpreter services, translation assistance or information about home care support, please contact your local Nexus Hospital here and our team will be happy to assist you.