Information Pack
Every person who becomes a client of our NDIS service receives an information pack
The pack is individually tailored depending on the person’s needs. The pack contains information to help support you, your family and carers in your NDIS journey.
Your NDIS Information Pack has information about:
Rights and Responsibilities
Understanding your rights and responsibilities when you use Castlemaine Health NDIS services
Your rights
As a consumer you have the right to:
- be treated with dignity and respect
- privacy and confidentiality
- clear information about your treatment before you consent
- be involved in the development of your care plan
- a safe environment
- raise concerns about any aspect of the service
- refuse treatment at any time
- know the qualifications of the staff involved in your treatment
- have any cultural, language or religious needs considered
- information about any costs associated with your care
- another opinion on the care proposed.
Your responsibilities
Your active participation and effort is essential for success. We ask you to:
- be courteous and respectful of others
- provide accurate and relevant information to ensure appropriate care is provided
- participate in your program to the best of your ability
- let staff know if the proposed treatment is unsuitable
- accept responsibility for decisions you make about your treatment
- attend appointments regularly and punctually
- notify us immediately if you are unable to keep appointments
- provide a safe environment if we visit you at home
- pay any agreed fees
- respect and comply with Castlemaine Health rules.
Violence and aggression
Our aim is to deliver the best health care to you. To help us achieve that, please respect the right of our staff to:
- be safe at work
- have safe and reasonable access at all times
- not suffer exploitation, abuse, discrimination or harassment.
Easy English
Need an easy-to-read version? Download the Charter of Healthcare Rights Easy English version from the Australian Commission on Quality & Safety in Health Care.
You can also download the Victorian Charter of Human Rights Easy Read format.
Complaints
Understanding how to make a complaint and how we manage incidents
If you’re not happy with our NDIS services, you can make a complaint.
Making a complaint
If you would like to complain to Castlemaine Health, fill out the Consumer Feedback Form on our website.
You can also choose to make a complaint about our services to the NDIS Commission.
The NDIS Commission has lots of great ‘Speak Up‘ resources on their website. These resources help empower people with disability to ‘speak up’ about the quality and safety of their NDIS-funded supports and services. The resources include a fact sheet, poster and Easy Read guide.
How we manage incidents
Castlemaine Health has policies in place for managing incidents.
We have created an Easy Read Booklet to explain how we do it. The Easy Read Booklet is a shorter version of another document. You can ask us for a copy of the longer document.
How we manage incidents in our NDIS services – Easy Read Booklet
The NDIS Commission has published a fact sheet on what happens when a provider reports an incident.
Fact Sheet for Participants – What happens when a provider reports an incident?
Advocacy
Understanding what advocacy services are and how they can help you
What is advocacy?
Advocacy is acting, speaking or writing to promote, protect and defend the human rights of people.
How can I find advocacy services?
Need some help making your way through the system? You can get help from the Rights, Information and Advocacy Centre (also known as RIAC).
Learn more
The Australian Government has published a Disability Advocacy fact sheet. It explains:
- what disability advocacy is and why it’s important
- how to find an independent advocate.
Your Health Information
What happens to your health information?
Castlemaine Health will create a health record for you when you become a client of our NDIS service. This record will contain:
- basic identification data
- contact details
- information for billing purposes
- information about your condition and treatment given
Each time you attend the service new information is added to your record. Some information may be recorded on our computer system. A paper history will be kept to record all relevant information about you.
Why is this necessary?
So that each health care professional involved in your care has all the facts. Your previous history of care can help us identify which treatments are likely to be safe and effective for you. We rely on information you give staff to help us provide the best care and attention for you. Withholding relevant information may delay your treatment or put your health at risk.
How is your information used?
Your health information is shared among the health care professionals in your treating team. All staff at Castlemaine Health are bound by professional ethics and legal obligations. Our staff maintain the confidentiality of your information.
If you become an inpatient or experience a medical emergency, we will release your information to inform your medical care. This will only happen if the heath service treating you requests the information. In all other circumstances your written consent is needed to release your information.
Some of your information may be used to:
- help staff review the care they provide to ensure it is of the highest standard
- plan future services and check that we are running an efficient service
- study disease patterns or treatments offered
- inform health research and planning
Wherever possible this information will not identify you. Your permission will be sought if identification is necessary.
Our legal obligations
The law requires that we release information in certain circumstances. These include:
- reporting specific diseases to Department of Health and Human Services and other health care organisations’ databases
- providing medical records to the courts when subpoenaed
- reporting statistical information to the Department of Health and Human Services and other agencies
No identifying details are included in these reports.
How long is your information kept?
Your information is stored securely. Only authorised staff can access it. It can only be destroyed according to standards set by the Public Records Office of Victoria.
Accessing your information
The Freedom of Information Act 1982 allows people access to their health records in most circumstances. All requests for access should be made via the Chief Executive Officer. A request form is available on Castlemaine Health’s website. A fee is charged for this service.
NDIS Commission
Understand more about the NDIS Commission and NDIS Code of Conduct
What is the NDIS Commission
The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission (the NDIS Commission) is an Australian Government agency.
It upholds the rights of, and promotes the health, safety and wellbeing, of people with disability receiving NDIS supports or services.
The NDIS Commission regulates providers of NDIS supports and services.
What is their role?
The NDIS Commission is there to:
- ensure providers and workers know and follow the rules for quality and safety
- assist with, and respond to concerns, complaints and serious incidents
- register and regulate NDIS providers Australia-wide
- educate and inform NDIS service providers, workers, participants and people in the community about the NDIS Commission’s requirements for quality and safety.
What is the NDIS Code of Conduct?
The NDIS Code of Conduct applies to all NDIS providers and workers. The code requires that NDIS providers:
- respect the rights of the person
- deliver services competently
- respect privacy
- act with integrity
- take action on quality and safety
- prevent violence, neglect, abuse and exploitation
- prevent sexual misconduct.
