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Careers

Employment The office of the Health Complaints Commissioner (HCC) is an independent office established under the Health Complaints Act 2016 to provide health consumers and service providers in Victoria with an independent complaints resolution mechanism. The Commissioner also administers the Health Records Act 2001 (HRA) which establishes privacy standards for the handling of health information and gives individuals a legally enforceable right of access to their own health information. This Act gives the Health Complaints Commissioner substantial statutory responsibilities and discretionary...

Handling complaints

Handling complaints well Complaint handling is an important part of being a safe and responsive health service. Providers with effective complaint-handling processes often resolve complaints quickly and easily. This creates opportunities to restore confidence in your services, improve quality through feedback and to prevent minor issues from escalating into major problems. Complaint handling standards All health service providers in Victoria must meet the minimum standards for complaint handling as laid out in Schedule 1 of the H ealth Complaints Act 2016 . In summary, a health service must:...

About complaints

Making a complaint Video of Making a complaint Who do I speak to? If you’re not satisfied with your health service provider, it’s OK to raise your concerns with them directly. We ask you to do this before lodging a complaint with us. Speaking directly with your health service provider is often the quickest and easiest way to resolve complaints. Complaints about care, treatment or billing by a hospital are usually managed by a complaint liaison officer or patient representative – ask the hospital for more information. Complaints about health records are usually managed by an organisation's...

What to expect from a health service

Health service principles You should expect safe and ethical healthcare from every health service you use. This applies in all healthcare settings, including public and private hospitals, community health services and individual practitioners' rooms. All Victorian health services must: Be accessible Be safe and of high quality Provide their services with appropriate care and attention Treat consumers and their carers with respect, dignity and consideration Provide adequate and clear information about treatments, costs and other options Apply an inclusive approach with consumers when making...

Investigations

The HCC can launch investigations based on information we receive, or by referral from the Victorian Minister for Health. Investigations generally follow a formal process, including a detailed examination of a complaint. Investigations are sometimes conducted in more complex matters but may also be used in simple matters like following up any undertakings made in a complaints resolution process. We may investigate public or private organisations as well as individual providers. Why we investigate The primary aim of any investigation is to establish the facts. This allows us to understand what...

Prohibition orders

Orders can prohibit a health practitioner or organisation from providing health services. These orders can prohibit part, or all, of a health service for a set period of time or permanently. Interim orders of up to 12 weeks can also be made. Orders are only made against general health service providers, meaning those not regulated by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency ( AHPRA ), and only if the Commissioner believes they've breached the general code of conduct and pose an unacceptable risk to the public. Prohibition orders issued in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and...

Consultation sessions

As part of our Inquiry into Assisted Reproductive Treatment (ART) practices in Victoria, we are holding a series of consultation sessions in September 2019. ART consumers and providers can hear more about the Inquiry and share their experiences (anonymously if they choose). These discussions will inform a report, which will be delivered to the Victorian Government at the conclusion of the Inquiry. Register your interest in attending one of the sessions here . We will contact you with upcoming session dates and times. Participants are welcome to attend the consultation sessions without...

General providers

The HCC can handle complaints about health services provided by any organisation or person in Victoria. This includes both registered providers and general, or non-registered, providers. General health service providers are those who are not legally required to be registered under national health practitioner regulation law. That is why they are also known as non-registered providers. The many types of practitioners in this category include audiologists, naturopaths, dieticians, speech pathologists, homeopaths, counsellors, massage therapists, alternative therapists and other providers of...

Publications

Brochures Making a complaint (DL brochure) (PDF, 357.27 KB) My health records, my rights (DL brochure) (PDF, 294.85 KB) Order 'making a complaint' or 'my health record' brochures from Alison Vickers at [email protected] . with your name, address and number required. Brochures also available in 26 community languages on our Translations page. Posters Expect safe and ethical healthcare (A3 poster) (PDF, 336.3 KB) General code of conduct summary - (A4 poster).pdf (PDF, 80.26 KB) General code of conduct (A3 poster).pdf (PDF, 84.75 KB) General code of conduct (A4 poster).pdf (PDF, 86...

Latest news

The Health Complaints Commissioner (HCC) is currently conducting an Inquiry into Assisted Reproductive Treatment (ART) practices in Victoria. The Inquiry will include wide-ranging consultation and community engagement with members of the public who have utilised ART and/or other fertility treatment services, along with providers of those services. We've developed a discussion paper , which addresses a series of questions about the Inquiry and invites submissions from consumers of ART and other fertility treatment services (including submissions from family members or friends), from service...

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