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Australian Health System
Guide

How do I complain about a healthcare professional or service provider?

Reviewed and updated 3 April 2024

About making a complaint

If you have a concern about a medical practitioner or other healthcare professional, you can make a complaint.

You can make a complaint about:

  • quality of care and treatment provided to a patient
  • the professional conduct of a health professional
  • your health information or medical records
  • content of a medico-legal or Family Court report
  • fees and charges.

Be clear about what you would like to happen:

  • an explanation
  • an apology
  • a refund or compensation
  • access to your records or to have your records amended
  • change in policy or practice at a hospital, medical or other practice, pharmacy, ambulance or community health service.

In Australia, the best organisation to contact to make a complaint depends on where you live. This is due to the complex way the health system is managed by the Australian Government and the state and territory governments.

Making a complaint in the ACT

How to make a complaint in the ACT:

Step 1:

Talk to your doctor, healthcare professional or health service provider about why you are unhappy about the care or advice you received.

Step 2:

If you are uncomfortable talking to your doctor or healthcare professional, talk to another doctor or healthcare professional at the practice or a practice manager.

Step 3:

If you are unhappy with the response you received, make a complaint to the Health Services Commissioner at the ACT Human Rights Commission.
To make a complaint, you need to fill in this online form.

Step 4:

The ACT Human Rights Commission will assess your complaint and could:

  • recommend conciliation
  • refer a complaint to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra)
  • discontinue the complaint.

Making a complaint in NSW

How to make a complaint in NSW:

Step 1:

Talk to your doctor, healthcare professional or health service provider about why you are unhappy about the care or advice you received.

Step 2:

If you are uncomfortable talking to your doctor or health care professional, talk to another doctor or healthcare professional at the practice or a practice manager.

Step 3:

If you unhappy with the response you received, make a complaint to the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission.

Put your complaint in writing and explain:

  • Who was involved?
  • What happened and when?
  • What are you concerned about?
  • Have you done anything else to address this matter?
  • What do you want to happen now?

Step 4:

The Health Care Complaints Commission will assess your complaint within 60 days and could:

  • recommend conciliation
  • refer it to another body such as the Information and Privacy Commission or the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.
  • investigate the complaint and refer it to another body such as the relevant health professional council
  • discontinue the complaint.

Making a complaint in the NT

How to make a complaint in the NT:

Step 1:

Talk to your doctor, healthcare professional or health service provider about why you are unhappy about the care or advice you received.

Step 2:

If you are uncomfortable talking to your doctor or health care professional, talk to another doctor or health care professional at the practice or a practice manager.

Step 3:

If you unhappy with the response you received, make a complaint to the Health and Community Services Complaints Commission (HCSCC).

Make your complaint electronically, orally or in writing and explain:

  • Who was involved?
  • What happened and when?
  • What are you concerned about?
  • Have you done anything else to address this matter?
  • What do you want to happen now?

Step 4:

The HCSCC will assess your complaint. It could decide to:

  • take no further action
  • investigate
  • conciliate
  • refer it to another body help to resolve the complaint such as the Medical Practitioners Board.

Making a complaint in QLD

How to make a complaint in QLD:

Step 1:

Talk to your doctor, healthcare professional or health service provider about why you are unhappy about the care or advice you received.

Step 2:

If you are uncomfortable talking to your doctor or healthcare professional, talk to another doctor or healthcare professional at the practice or a practice manager.

Step 3:

If you unhappy with the response you received, make a complaint to the Office of the Health Ombudsman (OHO).

Make your complaint in writing or orally and explain:

  • Who was involved?
  • What happened and when?
  • What are you concerned about?
  • Have you done anything else to address this matter?
  • What do you want to happen now?

Provide any supporting documents if you have them.

Step 4:

The Office of the Health Ombudsman (OHO) will assess your complaint and could:

  • take no further action
  • investigate
  • conciliate
  • take immediate action (impose restrictions and bans on individual health service providers who are a risk to public health and safety)
  • refer it to another body help to resolve the complaint such as the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (Ahpra) 
  • refer the matter to the Queensland Civil and Administration Tribunal (QCAT).

Making a complaint in SA

How to make a complaint in South Australia:

Step 1:

Talk to your doctor, healthcare professional or health service provider about why you are unhappy about the care or advice you received.

Step 2:

If you are uncomfortable talking to your doctor or healthcare professional, talk to another doctor or healthcare professional at the practice or a practice manager.

Step 3:

If you unhappy with the response you received, make a complaint to the South Australian Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner (HCSCC).

Make your complaint in writing electronically or in hard copy and explain:

  • Who was involved?
  • What happened and when?
  • What are you concerned about?
  • Have you done anything else to address this matter?
  • What do you want to happen now?

Provide any supporting documents if you have them.

Step 4:

The HCSCC will assess your complaint and could: 

  • request you try to resolve the issue directly with the health service
  • run informal mediation between you and the health service provider
  • bring the parties together to address details of the complaint.
  • refer it to another body to help resolve the complaint.

Making a complaint in TAS

How to make a complaint in Tasmania:

Step 1:

Talk to your doctor or healthcare professional about why you are unhappy about the care or advice you received.

Step 2:

If you are uncomfortable talking to your doctor or healthcare professional, talk to another doctor or healthcare professional at the practice or a practice manager.

Step 3:

If you unhappy with the response you received, you can contact the Health Complaints Commissioner Tasmania.

Make your complaint in writing online or in hard copy and explain:

  • Who was involved?
  • What happened and when?
  • What are you concerned about?
  • Have you done anything else to address this matter?
  • What do you want to happen now?

Step 4:

The Health Complaints Commissioner will try to resolve the complaint through conciliation.

If the Health Complaints Commissioner decides it is a serious matter affecting standards of care, it will refer the matter to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra). 

Step 5:

The Health Complaints Commissioner may achieve:

  • an apology
  • an explanation
  • a refund of out-of-pocket expense
  • a change in policy or procedure
  • compensation.

Making a complaint in VIC

How to complain in Victoria:

Step 1:

Talk to your doctor, healthcare professional or health service provider about why you are unhappy about the care or advice you received.

Step 2:

If you are uncomfortable talking to your doctor or healthcare professional, talk to another doctor or healthcare professional at the practice or a practice manager.

Step 3:

If you unhappy with the response you received, make a complaint to the Health Complaints Commissioner.

Make your complaint in writing, by phone, online or in hard copy and explain:

  • Who was involved?
  • What happened and when?
  • What are you concerned about?
  • Have you done anything else to address this matter?
  • What do you want to happen now?

Provide any supporting documents if you have them.

Step 4:

The Health Complaints Commissioner will assess your complaint and could:

  • investigate
  • conciliate
  • refer it to another body help to resolve the complaint such as the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra).

Step 5:

Your complaint could achieve:

  • an explanation about what happened and why
  • an apology
  • access to treatment
  • access or amendment to health records
  • a refund or compensation
  • a change in policy or practice to prevent future problems.

Making a complaint in WA

How to make a complaint in Western Australia:

Step 1:

Talk to your doctor, healthcare professional or health service provider about why you are unhappy about the care or advice you received.

Step 2:

If you are uncomfortable talking to your doctor or healthcare professional, talk to another doctor or healthcare professional at the practice or a practice manager.

Step 3:

If you unhappy with the response you received, make a complaint to the Health and Disability Services Complaints Office (HaDSCO).

Make your complaint in writing electronically or in hard copy and explain:

  • Who was involved?
  • What happened and when?
  • What are you concerned about?
  • Have you done anything else to address this matter?
  • What do you want to happen now?

Provide any supporting documents if you have them.

Step 4:

The HaDSCO will assess your complaint and it could: 

  • investigate
  • conciliate
  • refer it to another body help to resolve the complaint such as the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (Ahpra).

Step 5:

The HaDSCO could help you achieve: 

  • an explanation about what happened and why
  • an apology
  • access to treatment
  • access or amendment to health records
  • a refund or waiver of fees
  • staff training
  • a change in policy or procedures to prevent future problems
  • introduction of new policies.

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