
Your Rights and Responsibilities
You are entitled to expect and receive high quality services at Tweddle Child and Family Health Service
Tweddle supports and is committed to the Australian Charter of Health Care Rights which outlines the right of patients using the Australian Health System. This charter promotes a partnership between you and Tweddle.
The following are your rights and responsibilities at Tweddle;
You have the right to:
- You have been provided with a program based on your family’s situation and a comprehensive assessment.
Service provision in a safe environment.
- You have a right to feel safe and comfortable while at Tweddle. As a Child Safe Organisation, Tweddle has a range of strategies to protect and promote the safety of children using our services. If you have any concerns regarding your child’s safety while using Tweddle’s services, please speak to our Child Safety Officer. Also see the section below titled ‘Comment on your care’.
Have access to an accredited interpreter if needed
- You are entitled to request an accredited interpreter and use an interpreting service for essential information such as admission and discussion about your medical history and program.
Services provided in a culturally sensitive way
- You have the right to be treated in a way that respects your culture and beliefs.
Respect, dignity and consideration for privacy whilst in a Tweddle program
- As far as possible, Tweddle will provide your program in surroundings that allow privacy.
Comment on your care
- You have the right to give positive or negative feedback, ask questions, provide compliments or make complaints about your care. It is always best to try and resolve your complaint with Tweddle.
If you are not satisfied with how Tweddle is responding to your concerns, you have a right to make a complaint to the Victorian Health Service Commissioner (see more information below).
Participate in making decisions about your program
- You should be fully involved in decisions about your program and be given opportunities to ask questions and discuss your program.
Participate in decisions and receive information about your discharge
- You have the right to participate in decisions and to receive information about available services.
Access to your health records and confidentiality for your personal information
- You have the right to see your health records. This can be done through Tweddle or through Freedom of Information. Tweddle can advise you on how to make this request.
Your responsibilities;
You have the responsibility to:
- Work with the Tweddle team by providing relevant information about your health and circumstances that may influence provision of your program or stay at Tweddle.
- Treat Tweddle staff and other clients with respect and consideration.
Child Safe Organisation
Tweddle offers a Child Safe environment by putting the best interests of children first to ensure their rights and needs are met. We apply this principle in policy and practice, screen applicants for suitability to work with children and promote a culture of child safety, wellbeing and identification and prevention of harm. Tweddle has a duty to respond to any concerns, disclosures, allegations or suspicions of harm.
Tweddle is a child-safe, family-friendly workplace and an equal opportunity employer, offering generous working conditions. We celebrate families from all walks of life and foster diversity, equity, inclusion and a sense of belonging in principle and practice.
Information-for-Parents-and-Carers-about-the-Child-Safe-Standards
Child Safe Poster Speak Up Illustrated
Policies, Procedures and More Information
Health Complaints Commissioner:
Call: 1300 582 113
Email: hcc@hcc.vic.gov.au
Visit: www.hcc.vic.gov.au/contact
Send a letter to or visit:
Level 26
570 Bourke Street
Melbourne VIC 3000
- Tweddle Client Charter 2021 (Arabic)
- Tweddle Client Charter 2021 (Hindi)
- Tweddle Client Charter 2021 (Vietnamese)
- Tweddle Client Charter 2019 (Simplified Chinese)
- Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights
- How I can use the Charter?
- Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights – easy EnglishAustralian Charter of Healthcare Rights – other languagesAustralian Charter of Healthcare Rights – Auslan
- Make a complaint
- Client Charter Form
- Procurement Activity Plan Form
- Consumer Participation Framework
- Client Consent Policy
- Child Safe Organisation Policy
- Pandemic Workplace Safety Policy
- Occupational Health and Safety Policy
- Gifts Policy
- Code of Conduct Policy
- PASDS – Unwell Client or Child whilst in Residence
- Incident Reporting and Investigating Procedure
- Child Safe Organisation Procedure
- Code of Conduct Procedure
Access to your health records and confidentiality for your personal information
Maintenance of medical records is in full compliance with DHHS reporting requirements and the provisions of the Privacy Act and the Health Information Act.
You have the right to see or obtain a copy of your health records. This can be done through Tweddle or through Freedom of Information. Everyone involved in your program has a professional and legal duty to keep information about you confidential.
How do I make an application?
All formal requests for access to documents of Tweddle Child and Family Health Service under the provision of Freedom of information Act are to be made in writing to the address below. Please include sufficient information about the document and fill in the required form to enable it to be identified and provide a $25.00 application fee.
FOI – Freedom of Information Application form
Send the request to:
Freedom of Information Officer
Tweddle Child and Family Health Service
53 Adelaide St
Footscray VIC 3011
Where access to documents is granted to inspect, obtain or purchase material, arrangements will be made during normal office hours, Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm. Charges for access to documents under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act will be in accordance with the standard provisions of the Freedom of Information (Access Charges) Regulation 1993.
Embracing Equality Pledge
