Title: I want more say in my treatment
Producer: Independent Mental Health Advocacy
Name of speaker: Wanda Bennetts (all speech content)
Speech Content: Are you concerned that you're not getting a say in your treatment? You might not know it, but the Victorian Mental Health and Wellbeing Act says you have rights that mental health services must respect.
Independent Mental Health Advocacy, or IMHA, helps people to learn about and use their rights. This video is a guide to your rights and options if you want to have more say in your treatment.
The law is clear that you should be supported to make your own treatment decisions. To do that, the mental health service must give you information and time to consider your different options., understand their responsibility to allow you to make decisions about your treatment, even where these involve a degree of risk, and understand that your treatment should support the best therapeutic outcomes for you.
If you have concerns about your treatment, you can write your pros and cons list about each treatment option, ask a friend or peer support worker about their experiences, and ask for a meeting with your psychiatrist to discuss your concerns.
If you are having a meeting with your treating team, some things you can do are make a plan about what you want to say and what you want to ask. You can write it down using our Know Your Rights Self-Advocacy plan available on the IMHA website. Learn about your rights using our know your rights fact sheets. Bring a support person such as a family member, friend, or advocate and refer to your advance statement if you have one.
Sometimes you don't get what you're hoping for. If so, you can get a free second psychiatric opinion. Make a complaint about your experiences. Ask for a change in staff that treat you. Look at our know your rights “I want to change my treating team” fact sheet for more information and contact IMHA to talk with an advocate.
If you would like to learn more or talk to an IMHA advocate, you can call us on 1300 947 820. Hear a recording of your rights on 1800 959 353. See our website on www.imha.vic.gov.au or see our fact sheets which should be available at your service.
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