Riverview's Charter of Patient Rights

We respect the social therapeutic and legal rights of individuals in our care. Exactly how is spelled out in Riverview’s own Charter of Patient Rights. Displayed on all wards, it describes what patients and residents can expect when they’re in the hospital. Copies are also available from the individual treatment team. 
 
The Riverview Hospital Charter of Patient Rights was introduced in 1995. This followed three years of hard work developing the rights and their clarifying statements as well as implementing the necessary changes to support this initiative. Values reflected in the Charter now provide guidelines for the way the hospital delivers care.
 
The rights contained in the Charter are consistent with the direction of mental health reform as well as the United Nation`s “Principles for Protection of Persons with Mental Illness” and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
 
The Charter does more than inform patients of their rights, however. It also encourages and supports patient involvement in their own care and treatment. It is also a tool that empowers staff in their patient advocacy role - particularly with vulnerable patients who may find it difficult to either assert or verbalize their rights.

Riverview`s Charter has stood the test of time. In the past ten years there have been no challenges to any of the 45 rights. Consumers and providers alike have embraced this important document.
 
The hospital can be justifiably proud that it is a world leader in the provision of patient rights. Evidence for this is seen both in the comprehensiveness of the 45 rights and the accompanying guide book, as well as the interactive CD-ROM that was developed to support patient rights education at the hospital. As well, several health authorities in British Columbia have expressed a strong interest in implementing similar charter rights in their own jurisdictions. The Riverview Charter could well provide the basis for a provincial standard.

This work has been presented at several international conferences and has been received most favourably. 

Full text of the RVH Charter of Patient Rights here.
 
Phil Bell
Coordinator, Community Transfers
November 2005