Category: Resources and downloads

Understanding Australia’s New Open Disclosure Framework: What It Means for WA Health Consumers

Posted on June 26, 2026

Everyone deserves honest, respectful communication when something goes wrong during healthcare.

By Health Consumers’ Council WA

The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care released the updated Australian Open Disclosure Framework in June 2026. It replaces the 2014 framework and aims to support more consistent, person centred communication when a patient experiences harm or potential harm during their care.

For Health Consumers’ Council WA (HCCWA), this reflects what health consumers have consistently told us through our advocacy work. People often remember less about the clinical details of an incident than how they were treated afterwards. Being listened to, receiving a genuine apology where appropriate, and understanding what happens next can make a significant difference.

Key takeaways

Open disclosure is about honest, respectful communication when a patient experiences harm or potential harm during healthcare.
Australia’s updated Open Disclosure Framework places greater emphasis on person centred care, cultural safety and ongoing communication with patients and families.
Good open disclosure includes listening to the patient’s experience, explaining what happened, offering a genuine apology where appropriate, and discussing what happens next.
If something goes wrong during your healthcare, you should expect clear communication, opportunities to ask questions, and ongoing updates as more information becomes available.
HCCWA supports safer, more compassionate healthcare by advocating for consumers and working with health services to strengthen open disclosure practices.

What is open disclosure?

Open disclosure is the process of having honest, timely and respectful conversations with patients, families and carers when something goes wrong during healthcare.

It involves:

explaining what is known about what happened
acknowledging the impact of the event
offering an apology where appropriate
listening to the person’s experience and concerns
discussing what will happen next, including any investigations or ongoing care.

Open disclosure is based on the principle that people have a right to be informed about their healthcare. It supports safer care, helps maintain trust and encourages learning when things do not go as planned.

When should open disclosure happen?

Open disclosure should be considered whenever a patient experiences harm, or potential harm, during healthcare.

Harm is not limited to physical injury. The updated framework recognises that people may also experience psychological, emotional or social harm. Importantly, individuals may experience harm differently from how a health service defines or understands it.

This reinforces the importance of listening first, rather than assuming everyone shares the same perspective.

What has changed in the 2026 framework?

Open disclosure has been part of Australian healthcare for many years, but the updated framework places greater emphasis on:

person centred communication
cultural safety
restorative approaches that support healing and learning
recognising different experiences of harm
building trust through ongoing communication, rather than treating open disclosure as a single event.

The framework encourages health services to see open disclosure as more than a process to complete. It describes it as an opportunity to build respectful relationships with patients, families and carers, even during difficult circumstances.

Why this matters for consumers in Western Australia

At HCCWA, we regularly hear from people who have experienced harm during healthcare.

Through both our advocacy work and our open disclosure training with health services, we know these conversations can be challenging for everyone involved. Many clinicians may only participate in a small number of serious open disclosure conversations during their careers.

Our experience is that what matters most is not having the perfect words. It is listening carefully, responding honestly and creating space for people to ask questions, express concerns and be heard.

Open disclosure is not a one way conversation. While it involves sharing information, it is equally about understanding the patient’s experience.

People who are distressed may not remember every detail they are told. They are far more likely to remember whether they felt respected, listened to and treated with compassion.

A genuine apology can play an important role in rebuilding trust. It should be sincere, communicated in plain language and accompanied by meaningful follow up.

Trust is rarely rebuilt in a single meeting. It develops over time through ongoing communication, transparency and action.

Cultural safety must be part of the conversation

The updated framework recognises that open disclosure must be culturally safe for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

It acknowledges that racism, discrimination and power imbalances can influence how people experience healthcare and whether they feel safe speaking openly.

Importantly, cultural safety is determined by the person, family or community receiving care, not by the health service.

This means services need to consider who should be involved in conversations, how information is shared and whether people feel respected, supported and safe throughout the process.

From HCCWA’s experience delivering open disclosure training, cultural safety cannot be added at the end. It needs to be considered from the beginning and embedded throughout every stage of open disclosure.

Putting these principles into practice

The updated framework provides clear principles. The challenge is putting those principles into everyday practice.

Through our work with health services, HCCWA focuses on practical skills that support meaningful open disclosure, including:

preparing for conversations
identifying who should be involved
communicating honestly without speculation
creating opportunities for patients and families to share their experience
providing clear follow up and updates as new information becomes available.

These practical actions often determine whether people feel genuinely supported or simply informed.

What should consumers expect after a healthcare incident?

If something goes wrong during your healthcare, you can reasonably expect:

honest and timely communication
an explanation of what is known
an opportunity to ask questions
respectful treatment throughout the process
ongoing updates if more information becomes available
information about the next steps in your care.

If you feel your concerns have not been heard, you can ask for further discussions or seek support from an independent organisation such as HCCWA.

The Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights also outlines your rights to access, safety, respect, partnership, information, privacy and the opportunity to provide feedback about your care.

What if open disclosure does not happen?

Not every healthcare incident is managed well.

If you believe open disclosure has not occurred, or you feel you have not received honest communication after an adverse event, you can:

ask whether an open disclosure process has been considered
request another meeting
bring a family member, friend or advocate to support you
write down your questions beforehand
ask for information in writing where appropriate
seek independent advice or advocacy if you need support navigating the process.

What this means for consumer representatives and advocates

The updated framework strengthens the role of consumer representatives and advocates in improving healthcare.

It provides a stronger foundation for asking whether open disclosure is being done well. This includes whether communication is timely, whether people feel listened to and whether health services follow through on their commitments.

For consumer representatives, the framework is another practical tool that can help keep the focus on people’s experiences and support improvements across the health system.

How HCCWA supports open disclosure

HCCWA has worked with health services across Western Australia to deliver open disclosure training that combines practical communication skills with the perspectives of health consumers.

Our training helps clinicians build confidence in having honest conversations after adverse events and supports organisations to strengthen their open disclosure practices.

If your organisation is looking to improve its approach to open disclosure, HCCWA can work with your service to deliver practical, consumer informed training tailored to your setting.

To learn more, contact HCCWA at tania.harris@hconc.org.au.

HCCWA advocates can also help consumers feel supported during an open disclosure process. For more information see our information for consumers: https://www.hconc.org.au/individual-advocacy/open-disclosure-when-things-go-wrong-in-healthcare/

Frequently asked questions

Is open disclosure an admission of legal liability?

No. Open disclosure is about communicating openly and respectfully after something has gone wrong. Having an open disclosure conversation does not, by itself, determine legal liability.

Can I ask for open disclosure?

Yes. If you believe you have experienced harm during healthcare and open disclosure has not been offered, you can ask the health service whether an open disclosure process is appropriate.

Can I bring someone with me?

Yes. You can ask a family member, friend, carer or advocate to attend an open disclosure meeting with you for support.

Does open disclosure replace making a complaint?

No. Open disclosure and complaints are different processes. You can still make a complaint if you are unhappy with your care or with how an incident has been managed.

Learn more

Read the Australian Open Disclosure Framework on the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care website.

You can also learn more about HCCWA’s advocacy services, consumer representation opportunities and training programs through our website.

HCCWA’s Health Passport & our FREE Diversity Dialogues event

Posted on May 25, 2026

We’re excited to share HCCWA’s new Health Passport — a simple, practical tool designed to make healthcare appointments easier and less stressful for people from non-English speaking backgrounds.

The Health Passport helps people share important information with health services, especially when they are not yet confident reading or writing in English, or when they need communication support such as an Auslan interpreter.

With support from a family member, carer, community worker or service provider, a person can complete the Health Passport before attending a health appointment. Once completed, it gives healthcare staff key information at a glance, helping to reduce the need for people to repeatedly answer questions they may not fully understand or feel confident responding to.

We hope the Health Passport helps people feel more prepared, supported and confident when accessing care — and helps health services provide care that is respectful, inclusive and person-centred.

The Health Passport is now available to download and use. We encourage you to share it with your community, clients, networks and anyone who may find it helpful.

We warmly welcome feedback from both health consumers and healthcare providers as we continue working together to make healthcare more accessible for everyone.

DOWNLOAD THE HCCWA HEALTH PASSPORT HERE

This work also connects closely with HCCWA’s Diversity Dialogues initiative, which brings together consumers, carers, communities, and healthcare organisations to discuss how we can improve healthcare access and experiences for everyone in WA.

Our next Diversity Dialogues session will focus on improving access to care for older people from migrant and refugee backgrounds.

HCCWA Diversity Dialogues

Thursday, 4 June 2026, 10:00am – 11:30am AWST

FREE | Attend in-person or online

Summary: WA Health body worn camera policy

Posted on May 22, 2026

Source: WA Department of Health, Body Worn Camera Use in Health Facilities Policy, effective 18 May 2026.

https://www.health.wa.gov.au/~/media/Corp/Policy-Frameworks/Work-Health-and-Safety/Body-Worn-Camera-Use-in-Health-Facilities-Policy/Body-Worn-Camera-Use-in-Health-Facilities-Policy.pdf

At a glance

WA Health now has a mandatory policy for how body worn cameras can be used in public health facilities. The policy is intended to support safety during incidents of violence, aggression or threatening behaviour, while protecting people’s privacy, dignity and rights.

Plain language question	Plain language answer
Who can use body worn cameras?	Only Security Officers can use them under this policy.
When can they be turned on?	Only when there is an imminent safety risk involving violent, aggressive or threatening behaviour.
Are they for routine surveillance?	No. They must not be used for general monitoring, intimidation, harassment, discrimination, personal use or staff disputes.
Do people need to be told?	Yes, where practicable. Security Officers should clearly tell people the camera is being activated and that they are being recorded.
When should recording stop?	Recording should stop once the incident is resolved and the immediate safety risk has passed.
How is footage handled?	Footage must be downloaded, securely stored, linked to a security incident report, and accessed or disclosed only under relevant WA Health rules.

What the policy allows

Body worn cameras can only be used by Security Officers when they are responding to incidents involving violent, aggressive or threatening behaviour.
They are one part of a broader workplace violence and aggression response. The cameras may help deter or de-escalate behaviour and may create an objective record of an incident.
They must be used lawfully, ethically and proportionately.

What the policy does not allow

Cameras are not for routine or general surveillance.
They must not be used for personal purposes, staff disputes, intimidation, harassment or discrimination.
They should not be activated simply because a person is distressed, unwell, frustrated or upset unless there is an immediate safety risk involving threatening, violent or aggressive behaviour.

When cameras can be turned on

A camera can only be activated when there is an imminent risk to the safety of workers, patients or visitors.
Imminent risk means there is a credible and immediate threat based on current, clear and objective signs that harm is happening or about to happen.
Where practicable, Security Officers must tell people clearly that the camera is being turned on and that they are being recorded. This may include physical actions, such as pointing to the camera, to support understanding.

Places and situations needing extra care

Cameras should generally not be activated in highly private or sensitive spaces, such as toilets, change rooms, bathrooms, parent rooms, lactation rooms, clinical treatment areas, during medical procedures, or when someone is undressed.
The exception is where there is an imminent safety risk involving threatening, violent or aggressive behaviour.
Security Officers should consider relevant information from clinical staff before activating a camera, including known clinical conditions, substance use, triggers or behavioural history, particularly where recording may escalate the situation.

When recording must stop

Recording should stop once the incident has been resolved, the immediate safety risk has passed, and the Security Officer has been stood down from the incident or risk.
If a patient, carer, guardian, staff member or member of the public asks for recording to stop, the Security Officer must assess whether continued recording is still necessary and lawful.
If recording continues, the person should be told clearly.

Privacy and access to footage

Body worn cameras are treated as listening and optical surveillance devices under WA surveillance law.
Recordings must avoid unlawful recording of private conversations or private activities.
Footage must be downloaded and stored securely at the end of each shift, or as soon as practicable, in an access-controlled system.
Stored footage must be linked to a relevant security incident report. Access, use or disclosure must be managed under relevant WA Health information access, retention, privacy and Aboriginal data governance policies.

How use will be reported and monitored

The policy includes only limited requirements for reporting and monitoring body worn camera use.

When a workplace violence and aggression incident occurs and a camera is activated, the incident report must include the words “BWC activated” so footage can be linked to the incident record.
Footage must be linked to the relevant security incident report and stored in an access-controlled system.
Compliance monitoring focuses on whether Security Officers have completed mandatory body worn camera training.
The System Governance and Reform Unit, on behalf of the System Manager, may ask Health Service Providers for additional information to evaluate compliance and support policy evaluation.
The policy does not clearly set out routine public or consumer-facing reporting on how often cameras are used, where they are used, who is recorded, whether people ask for recording to stop, complaints about camera use, access requests, disclosures of footage, or audit outcomes.

Training and local procedures

Health Service Providers must develop their own procedures that align with the statewide policy.
Security Officers must complete training before wearing or operating a camera.
Training must cover legal requirements, activation and deactivation, access and disclosure, end-of-shift processes, incident reporting, verbal notification, camera positioning and device operation.

Consumer-rights and implementation issues to watch

Whether consumers, carers and visitors are told about camera use in clear, accessible and culturally safe ways.
How staff decide that a safety risk is imminent, and whether that decision is documented consistently.
How the policy is applied for people who are distressed, unwell, intoxicated, experiencing mental health crisis, cognitively impaired, neurodivergent, communicating in a language other than English, or experiencing cultural unsafety.
Whether recording in sensitive clinical or personal spaces is treated as genuinely exceptional.
How people can ask questions, raise concerns, make complaints or request access to information about footage involving them.
Whether local procedures include practical guidance for de-escalation, trauma-informed care, disability access, interpreter use, and culturally safe communication.
Whether local monitoring includes consumer-focused measures, such as number of activations, locations, reasons for activation, requests to stop recording, complaints, access requests, disclosures and equity impacts.

Note

This summary is intended to support discussion. It does not replace the official WA Health policy.