Office of the Health Services Commissioner Annual Report 2001-02
Office of the Health Services Commissioner Annual Report 2001-02
Office of the Health Services Commissioner Annual Report 2001-02
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STATUTORY FUNCTIONS<br />
THE ROLE OF THE COMMISSIONER<br />
The HSC was established in Victoria in 1988. The <strong>Commissioner</strong>’s role is to receive,<br />
investigate and resolve complaints from users <strong>of</strong> health services, to support health<br />
care services in providing quality health care and to assist <strong>the</strong>m in resolving<br />
complaints. The legislation also requires that information gained from complaints<br />
should be used to improve <strong>the</strong> standards <strong>of</strong> health care and prevent breaches <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se<br />
standards.<br />
The <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Services</strong> (Conciliation & Review) Act 1987 states that <strong>the</strong> <strong>Commissioner</strong><br />
is to:<br />
a) deal with users’ complaints; and<br />
b) suggest ways in which <strong>the</strong> guiding principles may be carried out and help<br />
service providers to improve <strong>the</strong> quality <strong>of</strong> health care.<br />
The purposes <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Act include:<br />
a) to provide an independent and accessible review mechanism for users <strong>of</strong><br />
health services; and<br />
b) to provide a means for reviewing and improving <strong>the</strong> quality <strong>of</strong> health service<br />
provision.<br />
GUIDING PRINCIPLES<br />
The guiding principles <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Services</strong> (Conciliation & Review) Act promote:<br />
a) quality health care given as promptly as circumstances permit; and<br />
b) considerate health care; and<br />
c) respect for privacy and dignity <strong>of</strong> persons being given health care; and<br />
d) <strong>the</strong> provision <strong>of</strong> adequate information on services provided or treatment<br />
available in terms which are understandable; and<br />
e) participation in decision making affecting individual health care; and<br />
f) an environment <strong>of</strong> informed choice in accepting or refusing treatment or<br />
participation in education or research programs; and<br />
g) reasonable access to information in records relating to personal use <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
health care system except information which is expressly prohibited by law<br />
from being disclosed or information contained in personal notes by a person<br />
giving health care; and<br />
h) <strong>the</strong> confidentiality <strong>of</strong> personal health records.<br />
<strong>Health</strong> <strong>Services</strong> <strong>Commissioner</strong> <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> <strong>2001</strong>/20<strong>02</strong> 10