Your rights, complaints & compliments

Whether or not you are making a complaint about a Victorian public mental health service, you might want some support. If so, there are many supports available for consumers, families, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people from multicultural backgrounds, LGBTIQA+, young people and older people.

MHCC does not provide advocacy services, but included here is a list of information and supports that will help you protect your rights when using Victorian public mental health services.

The Act gives individuals a legally enforceable right of access to health information about themselves; and includes Health Privacy Principles.

The policy that sets out the handling practices for personal and health information. The Privacy policy relates to all BH staff, patients and their families, visitors, members of the public and external organisations.

Information about ‘My Healthcare Rights’ in Victoria.

Statements of rights set out a person’s rights while being assessed or while receiving treatment under the Mental Health Act 2014; The relevant statement of rights must be given to a person at key points during their assessment and treatment; A person must also be given an oral explanation of their rights and must answer any questions the person has; Reasonable attempts must be made to provide the information or explanation at a time when the person can understand it.

A nominated person assists the patient to exercise their rights and can help represent the patient’s views and preferences. The nominated person is given information and consulted at critical points in planning the patient’s treatment and recovery.

An advance statement sets out a person’s treatment preferences in case they become unwell and need compulsory mental health treatment. A person can make an advance statement at any time if they understand what an advance statement is and the consequences of making one. An authorised psychiatrist must have regard to a person’s advance statement when making a treatment decision. The authorised psychiatrist may make a treatment decision not in accordance with the advance statement if satisfied the treatment specified in the advance statement is not clinically appropriate or is not a treatment ordinarily provided by the designated mental health service.

It’s your right to make a complaint about a public mental health service in Victoria.

If you have a compliment, complaint or general feedback about your experience with Barwon Health.

Whether or not you are making a complaint about a Victorian public mental health service, you might want some support: legal help; advocacy; or other support.