Patient rights and support

The following resources can help you (or someone supporting you) understand your rights under the Mental Health Act 2016. Alternatively, you can contact an independent patient rights adviser.

This information is also available in other languages.

The Mental Health, Alcohol and Other Drugs Branch (Department of Health) would like to credit the West Moreton Hospital and Health Service with the development and design of the patient rights videos, and their statewide consultation throughout the production process.

Patient rights

• Guide: Guide to patient rights (PDF 766 kB)
• Fact Sheet: Patient rights (PDF 152 kB)
• Brochure: Your rights (PDF 1718 kB)
• Videos:
  • Summary - Understanding Your Rights
  • Understanding your rights (introduction)
  • Patient Rights under the Mental Health Act
  • Responsibilities and rights
• Posters:
  • Your rights poster 1 (PDF 2160 kB)
  • Your rights poster 2 (PDF 1311 kB)
  • Your rights poster 3 (PDF 1166 kB)
  • Your rights poster 4 (PDF 1234 kB)

• Factsheet: Role of independent patient rights adviser (PDF 611 kB)
• Guidelines: Independent patient rights advisers service model guidelines (PDF 819 kB)
• Policy: Independent patient rights advisers (PDF 2883 kB)
• Role description (DOC 1531 kB)
• Allocation (PDF 406 kB)

• Factsheet: Rights of family, carers and other support persons (PDF 179 kB)
• Brochure: Support persons (PDF 3996 kB)

Nominated support persons

• Factsheet: Role of nominated support persons (PDF 499 kB)
• Forms:
  • Nominated support persons (PDF 1532 kB)
  • Revocation or resignation of appointment of nominated support person (PDF 137 kB)

Receiving treatment

• Videos:
  • Patient rights as an inpatient in a hospital under the Mental Health Act
  • What are my rights to an interpreter and cultural support?
  • Patient right to an independent second opinion
  • Prohibited items in hospital
  • What to do if your mental or physical health is getting worse
  • Patient rights to information under the Mental Health Act
  • What are my rights to a lawyer?
• Policies:
  • Treatment and care of patients (PDF 184 kB)
  • Treatment and care of minors (PDF 250 kB)
  • Management of complaints and right to a second opinion (PDF 233 kB)
• Factsheets:
  • Searches (PDF 528 kB)
  • What you need to discuss with patients (PDF 636 kB)
  • Written notices and documents for patients (PDF 522 kB)

• Flowchart: Process for obtaining a second opinion (PDF 138 kB)
• Guidelines: Information sharing (PDF 315 kB)

Learn more about the Mental Health Review Tribunal.

Court

Mental Health Court: Tips for attending a hearing (PDF 83 kB)

Advance care planning

Read the resources for treatment and care about a less restrictive way to treat a person, advance health directives and substitute decision makers.