The health worker and the client are accountable to each other in a variety of ways, because each has a responsibility to work toward the goals that have been agreed to and to undertake tasks associated with reaching those goals. Select these images to learn more about the rights and responsibilities of the client and the health worker.

Philomena Nanu

The rights of the client include:

• respect regardless of culture or history
• self determination including making choices about the services they will use and when they will exit these
• professional and appropriate assistance
• privacy and confidentiality
• access to information written by the health worker about themselves
• access to complaint procedures if they are unhappy about the service they are receiving.

Melinda Davison

The client rights can be over-ridden by statutory demands placed upon the health worker by laws concerning child protection, mental health and criminal behaviour. The responsibilities of the client include:

• demonstrating respect to the health worker regardless of their culture or background
• participating in the decisions and actions that effect their lives
• behaving in a manner which does not pose any real or perceived physical or emotional threat to the health worker, other staff or clients
• taking responsibility for agreed actions
• providing relevant information to assist in their case management.