Illness and treatment
We want you and your next-of-kin to be given sufficient information, help and guidance to allow you to live with your illness, injury or condition in the best way possible. Each treatment is individually prescribed by the treating physician/psychologist in consultation with the patient.
All patient treatments must be documented in the patient's records. Patients are entitled to receive a copy of their patient records.
Breaches of the waiting list guarantee
If the deadline you have been given for your assessment/treatment approaches and you have yet to be given an appointment, please contact the hospital to enquire about your appointment.
Children as relatives of patients
This information is for anyone with children or teenagers in their family. You may be the patient, a relative of the patient or the parent of a sick child who has brothers or sisters.
You may request a copy of the log showing who has accessed your electronic patient records.
Entitlement to necessary healthcare
Those patients who, due to their health condition, require treatment most urgently should be given status as priority patients.
Free Hospital Choice is a scheme that allows patients to be referred for assessment/examination/treatment by the specialist health service at a hospital or treatment centre of their choice.
If you believe that your patient rights have been breached, we encourage you to contact the relevant department as soon as possible. This will allow the department to review its practices. Formal complaints must be made in writing.
The Health and Social Services Ombudsman
The Health & Social Services Ombudsman works to protect the needs, interests and legal rights of patients. The Ombudsman also strives to raise the quality of the health service.
The waiting times outlined on the Free Hospital Choice website are an estimate of how long low-priority patients can expect to have to wait.