First ‘Understanding the Tasmanian Health Complaints System’ sessions held in Hobart this month

31 Mar 2021

In a Tasmanian first, the main organisations in the state’s health complaints system jointly hosted the first ‘Understanding the Tasmanian Health Complaints System’ sessions earlier this month.

Health Consumers Tasmania, the Office of the Health Complaints Commissioner Tasmania (OHCC) and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) met with health industry staff and health consumers to discuss their organisations’ roles in the Tasmanian health complaints system.

Held over two sessions, Health Complaints Commissioner Richard Connock, Health Consumers Tasmania CEO Bruce Levett and Ahpra Tasmania State Manager David Clements discussed their organisations’ functions, how they differ between the organisations and how they collaborate and complement each other.

‘Each of our organisations play an important part in Tasmania’s health system, and while we each have a different role and various areas of responsibility, we share a goal to protect the public and improve the safety and quality of health services in the state,’ Mr Connock said.

Mr Levett said the purpose of the sessions was to provide members and consumers of Tasmania’s health services information about the complaints process and how the three organisations work together in what can be a complicated space.

‘We hope that by giving some clarity and awareness of who we are and what we do that the Tasmanian public will feel empowered to speak up if they have any concerns about their healthcare,’ he said.

Mr Clements said: ‘Protecting the public is paramount to the work Ahpra does regulating Australia’s more than 800,000 registered health practitioners. Working in partnership with health complaint entities around the country is a crucial part of fulfilling this purpose. We’re delighted to be jointly hosting this event and hope the feedback we receive will help us improve Tasmania’s health complaints system.’

These sessions are the first of several to be held across Tasmania throughout the year. Announcements about future events will be made soon. If you would like to give feedback on how the health complaints system could be better for the public, please email admin@healthconsumerstas.org.au

• Health Consumers Tasmania: healthconsumerstas.org.au
• Health Complaints Commissioner Tasmania: www.healthcomplaints.tas.gov.au/
• Ahpra: www.ahpra.gov.au

Media release issued by Health Consumers Tasmania, the Office of the Health Complaints Commissioner Tasmania (OHCC) and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra).
For further information please on the press release contact Bruce Levett on 0418 503 126.

Understanding the Tasmanian Health Complaints System session underway with Complaints Commissioner Richard Connock, Ahpra Tasmania State Manager David Clements, Health Consumers Tasmania CEO Bruce Levett.