Client Rights and Responsibilities

Approved by the Board of Directors on January 19, 2023.

The policy of East End Community Health Centre on client rights and responsibilities is encapsulated in the document below, which is posted in the Centre’s waiting room and made available to clients of the Centre.

East End Community Health Centre strives to provide high-quality health care that recognizes the experiences, values, and needs of the individuals who make up the diverse community we serve. We believe that a confidential, mutually respectful partnership between health care providers and clients is the best way to develop and maintain optimal health. Understanding your rights and responsibilities is central to this partnership.

As an East End Community Health Centre client, you have the right to:

  • be treated with respect and dignity, without discrimination;
  • receive appropriate service or treatment that is professional, courteous, caring, and timely;
  • expect that your personal privacy will be respected and confidentiality protected to the greatest extent permitted by law;
  • expect that your health care providers will work together to give you care;
  • be informed about preventative health care;
  • understand your diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis;
  • be listened to and ask questions or express concerns;
  • make choices about treatments, and be informed of the health risks and benefits of your decisions;
  • be involved in the development of your plan of care;
  • consent to or decline service or treatment;
  • access your health record information, in accordance with legislation; and
  • provide feedback on Centre programs and services.

As our client, you have the responsibility to:

  • show respect and consideration for staff and other clients;
  • not discriminate against staff or clients on the basis of race, religion, gender identity, or sexual orientation;
  • not seek medical care from other doctors or nurse practitioners, with the exception of specialists, unless we cannot provide care in a timely manner;
  • provide complete and accurate information;
  • let staff know when you do not understand what they are saying;
  • provide 24-hour notice when you cannot keep your appointment with the Centre or with a specialist;
  • be on time for your appointments;
  • inform reception if you have a cough, fever or flu, or if you have bedbugs, cockroaches or lice in your home;
  • comply with requests to wear a mask and/or receive service in an isolation room;
  • supervise your children while they are in the Centre;
  • keep information learned about other clients and group members confidential;
  • notify us if you find a new doctor or move to a new address;
  • how respect for Centre premises and property; and
  • help the Centre provide a safe environment by telling staff when you see unsafe conditions.