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Rights & Responsibilities
Rights and Responsibilities When Receiving HealthCare
Your rights
The Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights outlines the rights that clients, or someone that they care for, can expect when receiving health care. These rights are designed to ensure that all individuals are treated with respect and dignity when receiving care.
You have the right to:
Access
Healthcare services and treatment that meets your needs.
Safety
Receive safe and quality health care in an environment that is safe and meets national standards.
Respect
Be treated with dignity and respect, including having your culture, identity and beliefs recognised.
Partnership
Be involved in open and honest communication, including having choice in your healthcare provider and the planning and decision-making process.
Information
Receive clear information about your health status, treatments, and services, and assistance with understanding and using this information.
Privacy
Have your privacy respected and kept safe and confidential.
To give feedback
Give feedback or make a complaint, and have any concerns addressed in a transparent and prompt manner.
Your Responsibilities
You will respect our human, legal and industrial rights, including the right to work in a safe and smoke-free environment. You will make sure your home is safe for us to work in and attend, and that any pets are contained.
You will give enough information to assist us to develop, deliver and review your care needs, including all relevant information about your health and any cultural needs. You will participate in the planning of your care and services and consent to that care by signing our agreement.
You will tell us about any problems with your care and services. You will allow us safe and reasonable access at the times we are due to visit or otherwise provide reasonable notice if you do not require home care to be provided on a particular day.
You will follow our treatment and care advice. You will keep us updated on your health and any changes you may have. You will provide feedback and let us know if you feel at risk of harm at any point.
Statement of Rights
Pearl Home Care upholds the Statement of Rights as outlined in the new Aged Care Act 2024 which came into effect on 1 November 2025. Our national team ensures all consumers receive care with compassion, kindness, respect and dignity. Our Mission, Vision and Values underpin our everyday lives and reinforce our clients’ rights when receiving Australian Government funded care in the home or community. The Statement of Rights help to ensure that older people and their needs are at the centre of the new aged care system.
You have the right to Have:
- Independence, autonomy, empowerment and freedom of choice
- Equitable access
- Quality and safe funded aged care services
- Respect for privacy and information
- Person-centred communication and the ability to raise issues without reprisal
- Advocates, significant persons and social connections.
Charter of Aged Care Rights
Pearl Home Care upholds the Charter of Aged Care Rights, ensuring that all consumers receive care with compassion, kindness, respect and dignity. Our Mission, Vision and Values underpin our everyday lives, and reinforce our clients’ right in accessing care under the Aged Care Act 1997. All people receiving Australian Government funded residential care, home care or other aged care services in the community have rights.
- safe and high-quality care and services;
- be treated with dignity and respect;
- have your identity, culture and diversity valued and supported;
- live without abuse and neglect;
- be informed about your care and services in a way you understand;
- access all information about yourself, including information about your rights, care and services;
- have control over and make choices about your care, and personal and social life, including where choices involve personal risk;
- have control over, and make decisions about, the personal aspects of your daily life, financial affairs and possessions;
- your independence;
- be listened to and understood;
- have a person of your choice, including an aged care advocate, support or speak on your behalf;
- complain free from reprisal, and to have your complaints dealt with fairly and promptly;
- personal privacy and to have your personal information protected;
- exercise your rights without it adversely affecting the way you are treated
Your responsibilities
You will respect our human, legal and industrial rights, including the right to work in a safe and smoke-free environment. You will make sure your home is safe for us to work in and attend, and that any pets are contained.
You will give enough information to assist us to develop, deliver and review your care needs, including all relevant information about your health and any cultural needs. You will participate in the planning of your care and services and consent to that care by signing our agreement.
You will tell us about any problems with your care and services. You will allow us safe and reasonable access at the times we are due to visit or otherwise provide reasonable notice if you do not require home care to be provided on a particular day.
You will follow our treatment and care advice. You will keep us updated on your health and any changes you may have. You will provide feedback and let us know if you feel at risk of harm at any point.
Code of Conduct for Aged Care
Everyone has the right to a safe, respectful and enjoyable aged care experience. The Code of Conduct for Aged Care (the Code) describes how aged care providers, their governing persons (for example, board members), and workers (including volunteers) must behave and treat people receiving aged care. It helps ensure that people can have confidence and trust in the quality and safety of aged care they receive.
The Code:
supports a person’s right to personal choice, dignity and respect
promotes kind, honest and respectful behaviour
keeps people receiving aged care safe from harm.
Expected behaviour
The Code outlines 8 elements of expected behaviours:
- Act with respect for people’s rights to freedom of expression, self-determination and decision-making in accordance with applicable laws and conventions.
- Act in a way that treats people with dignity and respect and values their diversity.
- Act with respect for the privacy of people.
- Provide care, supports and services safely and competently, with care and skill.
- Act with integrity, honesty and transparency.
- Promptly take steps to raise and act on concerns about matters that may impact the quality and safety of care, support and services.
- Provide care, supports and services free from all forms of violence, discrimination, exploitation, neglect and abuse sexual misconduct.
- Take all reasonable steps to prevent and respond to all forms of violence, discrimination, exploitation, neglect and abuse sexual misconduct.
responsibilities
Provider responsibilities
- Providers must act in a way that’s respectful, kind and consistent with the Code. They must also support, equip and prepare aged care workers to comply with the Code.
Worker responsibilities
- Aged care workers have the most contact with people receiving care. Their behaviour must always help the people they provide care for feel safe and supported.
- They must always act in a way that’s respectful, kind and consistent with the Code.
Responsibilities of governing persons
- Governing persons play an important role as leaders of the provider’s organisation. They contribute to how the organisation operates and upholds its responsibilities. Their behaviours must also be consistent with the Code.
What we can do
We can take action if we find that an aged care provider, a governing person or a person providing care has done something that isn’t consistent with the Code.
In severe cases, we may:
- ban an aged care worker or governing person from working in aged care
- apply a sanction or revoke an aged care provider’s approved provider status.
NDIS Code of Conduct
All NDIS participants have the right to access safe and ethical supports and services. The NDIS Code of Conduct requiresd people who deliver NDIS supports and services to:
- act with respect for individual rights to freedom of expression, self-determination, and decision-making in accordance with relevant laws and conventions
- respect the privacy of people with disability
- provide supports and services in a safe and competent manner with care and skill
- act with integrity, honesty, and transparency
- promptly take steps to raise and act on concerns about matters that might have an impact on the quality and safety of supports provided to people with disability
- take all reasonable steps to prevene and respond to all forms of violoence against, exploitation, neglect, and abuse of people with disability
- take all reasonable steps to prevvent and respond to sexual misconduct
- not charge or represent higher prices for the supply of goods for NDIS participants without a reasonable justification
NDIS Code of Conduct
All NDIS participants have the right to access safe and ethical supports and services. The NDIS Code of Conduct requires people who deliver NDIS supports and services to:
- act with respect for individual rights to freedom of expression, self-determination, and decision-making in accordance with relevant laws and conventions
- take all reasonable steps to prevent and respond to all forms of violence against, exploitation, neglect, and abuse of people with disability
- take all reasonable steps to prevent and respond to sexual misconduct
- respect the privacy of people with disability
- promptly take steps to raise and act on concerns about matters that might have an impact on the quality and safety of supports provided to people with disability
- provide supports and services in a safe and competent manner with care and skill
- not charge or represent higher prices for the supply of goods for NDIS participants without a reasonable justification
- act with integrity, honesty, and transparency
Pearl Home Care remains dedicated to upholding the highest standards of professionalism, ethics and care when delivering services to NDIS participants. We recognise the importance of the NDIS Code of Conduct and its principles in promoting the rights and well-being of individuals with disabilities.
