Rights & Responsibilities

Clients of Leichhardt Women’s Community Health Centre have the right to:

be treated with dignity and respect
receive clear information about the range of services, waiting times, the process for the follow up of results, their proposed care plan and expected outcomes, the responsibilities of their health practitioner and the likely outcomes from LWCHC programs with which they’re involved
make their own health care decisions
confidentiality. The information clients tell their LWCHC staff about themselves or others will not be available to anyone who is not involved in their health care, unless the client provides consent, it is required by law or the client’s safety or that of another person is at risk
have their personal information stored securely and according to law. We have strict privacy requirements. Refer to our Privacy Policy for further information
read their health record and have comments added to it if they wish. If the client wishes to read their health record, they will need to make an appointment for this purpose with their health practitioner. There may be a fee, particularly if it is a fee-paying service, which we will discuss with you prior to the appointment. We will not delete notes from the health record, and consistent with our policy, there may be reasons for us declining access to it, which we will also discuss with you.
use an interpreter service
accept or refuse the centre’s services including:
- not to treat an issue or condition
- withdraw their consent at any time
- not take part in student placements or research
- seek a second opinion
- transfer their health care to another health worker or agency
make a complaint, suggestion or comment about the service they have received

Clients have the responsibility to:

be on time and come prepared for their appointments and services or phone the centre if they are unable to attend
know their own health history and provide, to the best of their knowledge, accurate and complete information about their situation, medications and other matters related to their health
use prescribed treatments and follow instructions as advised or discuss with their health worker if they are unhappy or unwilling to do so
ask questions about their health issue and its management
tell their health practitioner if they are seeing someone else for the same issue
accept the results of decisions they have made about their health care
respect the rights of other people using the centre
respect the role and dignity of staff and their right to a safe and pleasant work environment
respect the organisation’s policies
make a complaint, suggestion or comment about the service they’ve received

If you have a problem with your health care or have had a negative experience when visiting us, we would like to know. Please discuss any problems you may have with your health practitioner. To make a complaint, please speak with the Manager (tel. 9560 3011 or email us using the form below with your contact details). Feedback and complaints are taken seriously and are used to help us improve.

If, after we have investigated the complaint, you are not satisfied with the outcome, you may lodge the complaint with the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission, Locked Mail Bag 18, Strawberry Hills 2012. Tel. 1800 043 159 (toll free) Email: hccc@hccc.nsw.gov.au

Limiting and Withdrawing Service

Some services are limited in number so that new women also have opportunities to receive care. For example, appointments are limited for acupuncture, naturopathy and general counselling.

Due to demand and the costs involved in missed appointments and bookings (including health education), we cannot continue offering services for women who fail to attend.

The Centre will also limit or withdraw service on the grounds of professional judgement, service availability, the wellbeing of staff or other people and the failure of a client to adhere to the responsibilities detailed above. If this situation occurs we will endeavour to provide referrals to other providers.

Contact us today

Leichhardt Women’s Community Health Centre provides client centred and trauma informed wrap-around health services, support and education to marginalised and financially disadvantaged women.

LWCHC is committed to embracing diversity and eliminating all forms of discrimination in the provision of health services. LWCHC welcomes all women irrespective of ethnicity, mental health, history of suicidality, drug use, faith, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

We are not a crisis counselling or drop-in centre. Our practitioners see women by appointment. Phone us to find out more or to book an appointment: 9560 3011. If you have an urgent medical condition, please go straight to the hospital or dial 000.

Funded by NSW Health