Complaints about health care

Whether you are a private or public patient you can make a complaint if your health service provider:

• hasn’t cared for you properly
• hasn’t been respectful of your dignity or privacy (including the privacy of information about your health)
• has been negligent
• has been unprofessional.

Always collect evidence to support your complaint.

Approach the health service provider first to discuss your concern. If you’re still unhappy you can take your complaint to one of the health services agencies listed below.

Different complaint agencies deal with complaints about different types of health service providers. Some of the main agencies are:

• Health Services Commissioner (HSC) (link below) – accepts complaints about anybody who provides a health service. The HSC also accepts complaints about the privacy of health information held by any person or organisation in Victoria.
  
  
• Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) (link below) – accepts notifications about the conduct, health or performance of registered health practitioners.
  
  
• Aged Care Complaints Investigation Scheme (link below) – deals with complaints about aged care services that are funded by the Commonwealth Government.
  
  
• Complaints about the administrative actions of Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) should be directed to Medicare Australia (link below). Complaints can also be directed to the Commonwealth Ombudsman (link below).
  
  
• The Private Health Insurance Ombudsman (link below) is independent of government, hospitals and the health funds. It deals with inquiries and complaints about any aspect of private health insurance.

See the agencies’ websites for contact information and details about their complaints processes.

More information

Mental health system

Youth issues – health

Privacy and freedom of information

Aged Care Complaints Investigation Scheme

Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency – Notification & outcomes

Commonwealth Ombudsman

Health Services Commissioner – How to make a complaint 

Medicare Australia

Private Health Insurance Ombudsman

How we can help

Victoria Legal Aid doesn’t give legal advice about health care complaints, but our free service Legal Help may be able to give you some information over the phone. We may also be able to refer you to another organisation that can help you. You can speak to a legal information officer in English or ask for an interpreter.

Phone (03) 9269 0120 or 1800 677 402 (country callers), Monday to Friday from 8.45 am to 5.15 pm.

To find out more about any of our legal services see What we do.