What is the Mental Health Statement of Rights and Responsibilities
The Mental health statement of Rights and Responsibility’s 2012, document outlines the rights and responsibilities of health care services when delivery quality health care by providing a framework of what people receiving treatment (consumers/patients), their carers and service providers can expect from the service(s).
Understanding these rights and responsibilities can be empowering as it provides a person with knowledge that can support them to speak confidently and to ensure the quality of care received aligns with these.
The document is made up of 8 parts and is available to everyone online.
Click here for a full copy of the Mental health statement of Rights and Responsibility’s.
What does the Statement tell us?
The mental health statement or rights and responsibilities tells us that every person has the right to be treated equally and fairly and feel included regardless of their mental health or socio-economic status.
It also states that people who use mental health services have the right to:
- A health assessment, be provided with support and offered treatment and rehabilitation services to assist with their recovery.
- Be involved in and make their own decisions about their health care (unless the law says otherwise, eg, involuntary treatment).
- Receive help to make decisions about their care.
- Have their family and friends involved in their care if they want.
- Receive information about their diagnosis, treatment options, care and recovery.
- Receive care and treatment in a timely and safe way.
- Receive care in the least restrictive way possible.
- Have their wishes respected.
- Be safe from harm and abuse.
- Be informed why they can’t receive certain treatments.
- Be protected if they have to be assessed or treated against their wishes.
- Receive high-quality services.
- Receive the right treatment for their health needs.
- Receive respectful treatment with consideration for their age, background, culture, and preferences.
- Have their privacy and confidentiality respected.
- Be referred to other services if needed.
- Be given care that takes into account any drug or alcohol problems.
- Seek a second opinion if they want.
- Say what services and care they would like to receive in the future.
- Make a complaint if they’re not happy with their care.
- Live, work, and be part of the community without being treated unfairly, judged, or left out.
- Have a say in how policies and services related to social issues, justice, health, and mental health are made and evaluated.