How to complain about a health service or provider
When you can't get your service provider to address your complaint, Complaintline helps with how to complain and get results
Independent Health Services Commissions (state & territory)
Each State and Territory has a free, independent health service to help consumers with health service complaints, across all aspects of health in the public and private sector. Your complaint may be about a private medical practitioner, a nursing home, a hostel or supported accommodation facility, a public or private hospital, or any other person or place providing a health service.
A health service provider includes doctors, dentists, specialists, hospitals (public and private), physiotherapists, occupational therapists, social workers in a health setting, nursing homes, hostels, supported residential services, nurses, acupuncturists, ambulance services, community health centres, occupational therapists, optometrists, dietitians, physiotherapists, psychologists, psychiatric services, speech therapists.
Why might you complain? If the health service provider has:
- failed to provide a service or provided a service that was unnecessary
- denied you dignity or privacy
- failed to give you adequate information
- denied you access to information about your health care
- failed to exercise due skill
- failed to treat you in a professional manner
Who can complain?
- the user of a health service
- a person appointed by the user, acting as power of attorney or authorised by law
- a parent or guardian of a child under 14
- another health service provider
- approved/prescribed persons
ACT
ACT Health Services Commissioner
Other useful information:
NSW
Health Care Complaints Commission
Other useful information:
NT
Health & Community Services Complaints Commission
Other useful information:
QLD
Office of the Health Ombudsman
Other useful information:
SA
Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner
Other useful information:
TAS
Health Complaints Commissioner
Other useful information:
VIC
Health Complaints Commissioner
Other useful information:
WA
Health & Disability Services Complaints Office
Other useful information:
Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency
The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) is the organisation responsible for
the registration and accreditation of health professions across Australia. It supports 14 National Boards that are responsible for health profession regulation. The primary role of the Boards is to protect the public and they set standards and policies that all registered health practitioners must meet.
AHPRA works with the Health Complaints Commissions in each State and Territory to make sure
the appropriate organisation investigates community concerns about individual, registered
health practitioners. Members of the public may make a notification to AHPRA about the conduct, health or performance of a practitioner.
You may also be able to complain to your state/territory branch of the health practitioner's
professional association, e.g. about a breach of professional ethics. Note that these associations take complaints about their members only.
Australian Medical Association
Under States, contacts for all states and territories
National office
Chiropractors' Association of Australia
National office
National office
National office and state links
National office
Pharmaceutical Society of Australia
National and state contacts
Australian Psychological Society
National office
National office
Australian Physiotherapy Association
National and state offices
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