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Everyone has the right to access safe and high-quality healthcare in Australia. Your rights are explained in the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights.
Everyone has the right to receive care that is free of racism, discrimination, and bias. Cultural safety for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples is a commitment of the National Scheme and enshrined in National Law as of October 2022. Cultural safety is defined by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
Most healthcare appointments go well, but sometimes you or someone you care for may have a bad experience or outcome. It is your right to ask questions to find out more about what happened. You can do this at the appointment or afterwards.
If you don’t feel comfortable asking for more information or don’t get the answers you want, you can make a complaint directly to the healthcare worker or health service. Even if you have signed a consent form or received a refund, you can still make a complaint.
The tips on this page are here to help you with making that complaint.
If you are not happy with your healthcare experience, watch this video for tips to help you to make a complaint directly with your practitioner or health service. It includes five tips and advice on what to include in a letter, email or phone call about your complaint. (3min 39s)
Making a complaint can be emotional and you may need to tell your story more than once. Make sure you take care of yourself and ask for help if you need it.
Talk to someone you trust such as a family member or friend. They can be with you when you make a complaint. Staff from a community organisation or advocacy group might also be able to support you.
There are services available to support you during this difficult time. You can access cultural support or use an interpreter, where required. Ask the healthcare worker or health service for cultural support or a translator or interpreter or contact the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450 (free service).
Talk to someone at the health service or look at their website to find out about their complaints process.
Find out who is responsible for complaints at the health service. Some big health services such as hospitals will have staff who can help you with this, such as a patient advisor, consumer liaison officer or complaints officer.
Find out the different ways to make a complaint (in person, over the phone, or by letter, email, form, or online through a website or app).
Below there are tips on information to include in a complaint.
Write down who you speak or write to, the dates, anything they promise they will do and the date they say they will get back to you. Keep copies of all documents sent to you.
This will help you keep track of things and may be useful later if you decide to complain to a different organisation.
If you are not sure what will happen next, you can ask questions. You may want to know:
If you think the matter has not been resolved fairly you can take it further. The health service should tell you about the next steps you can take.
All states and territories have organisations that handle healthcare complaints. They can help settle problems that happened with a healthcare worker or health service.
If you’re not sure where to go next, you can get information about who can help you with your concerns:
Include as many facts as you can remember:
Explain what you want to happen after making the complaint. For example, would you like:
Give copies of documents that support your complaint. For example, letters, emails, text messages, medical records, photos, receipts or invoices.
The response to your complaint from the healthcare worker or health service should:
Call Ahpra on 1300 419 495 or submit an online enquiry
Support is available for practitioners and notifiers.
You can raise a concern with Ahpra via our online form.