01 How to raise a complaint
Email us and tell us what happened, when it happened, and what you would like done about it.
If you are comfortable naming the practitioner involved and giving the date of the appointment, it helps us look into it properly.
You can ask a family member, a carer or an advocate to raise it for you. We need your consent before we discuss your health information with them.
02 What happens next
- We acknowledge your complaint within 3 business days
- We tell you who is looking into it and roughly how long it will take
- Where the complaint is about clinical care, it goes to the practitioner responsible for clinical governance, not to the person you complained about
- We give you a substantive response within 30 days
- If it will take longer than that, we tell you why and we keep you updated
- You are told the outcome, and what we have changed as a result
- The complaint and the outcome are recorded and reviewed, so we can spot patterns
03 If you are not happy with our response
You can ask us to look at it again. Tell us what you think we got wrong, and a second person will review it.
You can also go to an external body at that point, or at any earlier point. You do not have to come to us before you go to them.
04 Making a complaint will not affect your care
Raising a complaint does not affect your access to care or the way you are treated.
If you would rather see a different practitioner while a complaint is being looked into, ask and we will arrange it.
05 External bodies
You may contact any of these at any time, before, during or after our own process.
- AHPRA
- Concerns about the conduct, performance or health of a registered practitioner. ahpra.gov.au, or 1300 419 495.
- Health complaints commissioner
- Complaints about a health service, including telehealth. Every state and territory has one. In New South Wales it is the Health Care Complaints Commission, hccc.nsw.gov.au, or 1800 043 159.
- OAIC
- Concerns about how your personal or health information has been handled. oaic.gov.au, or 1300 363 992.
- IPC NSW
- Concerns about health information handled under the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 (NSW). ipc.nsw.gov.au.
- ACCC or state fair trading
- Concerns about advertising, pricing or your consumer guarantees. accc.gov.au.
06 If you need urgent help
The complaints process is not the right place for an urgent clinical problem.
If you are unwell and need help now, contact your GP, go to an emergency department, or call 000. For crisis support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.