Patient Rights Policy

1. Introduction

At The Look Orthodontists, we are committed to delivering the highest standard of care in line with the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights (ACHR). This national charter provides a common framework for patients, families, carers, and healthcare providers — ensuring shared understanding of the rights of those receiving care.

The ACHR covers key principles including:

• Access
• Safety
• Respect
• Communication
• Participation
• Privacy
• Feedback and Comment

Our practice has developed this Patient Rights Policy to reflect these principles and ensure our patients understand what they can expect from us — and how they can contribute to their own care.

2. Appointments

Our goal is to offer appointment times that meet the treatment needs of each patient.

To help us manage appointment scheduling:

• Patients are encouraged to schedule appointments in advance and notify us promptly if they are unable to attend.
• We use reminders such as SMS, phone calls, email and postal reminders to confirm upcoming appointments.
  Cancellation Policy
  We aim to minimise the need for cancellation fees by providing clear information about our cancellation policy both on our website and in our new patient welcome materials.
  If you need to cancel or reschedule, please contact us as early as possible:
• Cancellations with less than 2 BUSINESS days’ notice may incur a cancellation fee.
• Cancellations with less than 1 BUSINESS day’s notice, or failure to attend, will be charged the full fee applicable to that appointment time — as short-notice cancellations prevent us from offering that time to other patients.

We also maintain a cancellation waitlist for patients seeking earlier appointments, and accommodate urgent appointments when clinically appropriate.
Patients with specific medical needs will be scheduled at suitable times of day to ensure optimal care.

3. Safety

To ensure safe, personalised treatment, patients are asked to provide an accurate and up-to-date medical and medication history.
In the unlikely event of an adverse outcome, our team is committed to full transparency and compassionate communication with the patient and their family or carers.

Practitioners will explain what occurred, outline any required follow-up care, and record all relevant information in the patient’s records.
Adverse events will also be reported to the practice’s professional indemnity insurer as required.

4. Open Disclosure

If an unexpected clinical outcome occurs:

• Immediate steps will be taken to manage the situation.
• The patient will be given a clear explanation of what has happened and any potential consequences.
• Emotional support and guidance will be provided.
• A management plan will be developed to address any ongoing care needs.
• The patient will be informed of their right to make a formal complaint if they wish.
  This process follows the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare’s Open Disclosure Framework.

5. Respect

At The Look Orthodontists, we value every patient as an individual.

We aim to provide care that is respectful of each person’s culture, beliefs, values, and preferences.

In return, we ask that patients treat our team members and other patients with courtesy and respect.

6. Communication & Decision-Making

We believe in empowering patients through clear and open communication.
Patients have the right to receive sufficient information to make informed choices about their care — including treatment options, associated risks, benefits, and costs.

Our team is trained to provide this information in accessible language and format.
We also encourage patients to involve family members or carers in decision-making if desired.

All key information and decisions will be documented in the patient’s clinical records as part of our quality assurance processes.

7. Informed Consent

Initial attendance and examination at our practice is considered implied consent for assessment.
However, for any proposed treatment, we follow a formal informed consent process, ensuring that patients:

• Are clearly informed about the nature of the treatment proposed
• Understand potential risks, benefits, and alternative options
• Are given time to ask questions and discuss the plan with family/carers if needed
• Have clear information about costs
• Provide explicit consent — either verbal or written — depending on the nature of the treatment
  Written consent will be documented where required, especially for complex or higher-risk treatments.
  Special considerations are taken for vulnerable patients, including guardianship arrangements if applicable.

8. Privacy

We handle personal information in accordance with:

• Privacy Act 1988 (Cth)
• Australian Privacy Principles
• Dental Board of Australia Code of Conduct

Key principles:

• Your personal and health information is collected to enable us to deliver high quality orthodontic care.
• This information will not be disclosed to third parties without your consent, unless required by law or for clinical purposes (e.g. communicating with your referring practitioner).
• Your records are stored securely and remain confidential.
  You have the right to access your dental records — requests should be made in writing. We will acknowledge requests within 14 days and aim to provide access within 30 days where possible.
  If records are transferred to another practitioner, this will usually occur practice-to-practice. Where required, identification may be requested for privacy protection.
  A reasonable fee may apply for copying records.

9. Feedback & Complaints

We value all feedback — both positive and constructive — as an important part of continuous improvement.
Patients are encouraged to provide feedback at any time, either verbally or in writing.
Our team is trained to handle complaints respectfully and promptly.

Complaint Categories:

• Enquiries — resolved through clarification or discussion
• Notifications — potential concerns requiring practitioner review
• Complaints or Claims — formal complaints requiring a written response and possible notification to professional associations or insurers

Our aim is to resolve concerns at the lowest level possible.
Formal complaints will be acknowledged within 10 days and recorded in our Compliments & Complaints Register.
Where appropriate, the treating orthodontist will be involved in responding, with guidance from professional bodies or insurers.

10. Promoting Awareness of Patient Rights

The Look Orthodontists is committed to promoting awareness of Patient Rights.

Our Charter of Patient Rights is:

• Displayed in our practice reception areas
• Available on our website

All staff are trained to assist patients in understanding their rights and how our practice operates.
We are mindful of identifying patients who may need additional support to understand their rights and will seek further guidance from clinical staff as needed.

11. Refund Policy

The Look Orthodontists is committed to providing satisfaction to customers. We have a no-refund policy. However, in specific circumstances, such as an error in payment, we will remedy the situation.