Your rights as a hostel resident
Hostel residents’ rights can be found in the following:
- the Hospitals and Health Services Act 1927
- the Hospitals (Licensing and Conduct of Private Psychiatric Hostels) Regulations 1997
- Licensing and Accreditation Regulatory Unit (LARU) Code of Conduct required to be met by hostel supervisors
- the resident’s agreement with the hostel licensee
- the LARU Licensing Standards for the Arrangements for Management, Staffing and Equipment : Private Psychiatric Hostels (LARU Licensing Standards)
- the National Standards for Mental Health Services (National Standards)
Mental Health Advocates can support residents to explain their rights and ensure they are being observed.
Hostel resident rights include:
- Right to a safe environment
- Right to dignity, confidentiality and privacy
- Compliance by Approved Supervisors on site with the LARU Code of Conduct
- Right to access information held about them
- Right to provision of quality and varied foods provided in sufficient quantities and the nature of the food provided in some hostels
- Provision of clothing and toiletries in some hostels
- Right to maintenance of standards in administration of medication
- Right to recovery-oriented care and services
- The percentage of a pension which must be returned to the residents for the resident's own use
- Right to access an interpreter
- Right to personal space and storage
- Right to access adequately sized communal areas which have been appropriately furnished
- Right to provision of clean linen
- Exit plans and a minimum notice period prior to closure.