The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) is the organisation responsible for the registration and accreditation of 10 health professions across Australia.

AHPRA supports the 14 National Boards in implementing the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme.

National Boards

Each health profession that is part of the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme is represented by a National Board.

While the primary role of the Boards is to protect the public, the Boards are also responsible for registering practitioners and students, as well as other functions, for their professions.

The 14 National Boards are:

All Boards are supported by AHPRA.

Complaints to AHPRA

AHPRA can investigate complaints about the conduct, health and performance of a registered health practitioner.

Activities considered as breaches of professional conduct are categorised as professional misconduct, unprofessional conduct, and notifiable contact. Practitioners are health impaired if they have a physical or mental impairment, disability, condition or disorder that detrimentally affects, or is likely to detrimentally affect their capacity to practise their profession. The professional performance of a registered practitioner is defined to be unsatisfactory if it is below the standard reasonably expected of a practitioner of an equivalent level of training or experience.

Notifications (includes Complaints)

Members of the public may make a complaint or notification to AHPRA about the conduct, health or performance of a practitioner or the health of a student.

Practitioners, employers and education providers are all mandated by law to report notifiable conduct relating to a practitioner or student. Registered practitioners who fail to report notifiable conduct may face disciplinary action by their National Board.

AHPRA will assess all notifications/complaints to determine whether a Board must consider taking immediate action to protect public health or safety.

This may result in changing the registration status of a student or practitioner. If immediate action is not required, AHPRA will asses the notification thoroughly to enable the relevant Board to make an informed decision about it. Each investigation is tailored to the complaint received, and complex matters take more time. AHPRA aims to complete most investigations within six months. 

Stages of the Notification/Complaint Process

All notifications/complaints pass through stages 1-2, and depending on the outcome of the preliminary assessment may pass through any of the following stages, 3-5. 

Stage 1: Receipt of Notification/Complaint

AHPRA receives notification/complaint either by online form, hardcopy form (295 KB,PDF), letter or telephone. 

Stage 2: Preliminary Assessment

A preliminary assessment determines if the matter will be handled by AHPRA or referred to another health complaints entity.

Preliminary Assessment Outcome

The outcome of the preliminary assessment may be for the Board to:

 Stage 3: Investigation

An investigation may need to be conducted to determine the appropriate course of action, which may be to:

A decision may be made to:

Where an undertaking or condition applies, the registrant will be subject to monitoring to ensure compliance.

Stage 4: Panel Hearing

A panel hearing will be conducted to determine the appropriate course of action, which may be to:

A decision may be made to:

Where an undertaking or condition applies, the registrant will be subject to monitoring to ensure compliance.

Stage 5: Tribunal Hearing

A tribunal hearing will be conducted to determine the appropriate course of action, which may be to:

Where an undertaking or condition applies, the registrant will be subject to monitoring to ensure compliance.

Tribunal hearing outcomes are made available to the public.

Telephone 1300 419 495 8am to 6pm (EST), Monday to Friday

Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner (HCSCC)

The HCSCC is an independent statutory authority established under the Health and Community Services Complaints Act 2004 (SA). The role of the HCSCC is to help people to resolve complaints about health and community services where a direct approach to the service provider is either unreasonable, or has not succeeded. It covers health and community services across the public, private and non-government sectors.

The HCSCC assists service users and carers who wish to complain about health and community services. In certain circumstances, it will also deal with complaints made on behalf of another person. The HCSCC also assists service providers to respond to complaints. The HCSCC is obliged by law to treat everyone involved in a complaint equally.

The HCSCC may be able to deal with complaints about:

HCSCC can help to resolve complaints:

HCSCC cannot handle complaints about :

How to complain

The HCSCC recommends that it is often most effective to complain to the provider first. They provide some guidelines as to the suggested process for making a complaint to the provider. If the provider does not respond, or if the complainant feels that the response is unsatisfactory, they may contact the HCSCC by telephone or by completion of acomplaint form.

The telephone enquiry service provides advice in relation to the complaints process. Interpreters are available. The HCSCC may require the complainant to provide further information or documents in relation to a complaint, or to verify the complaint by statutory declaration.

The HCSCC also provides guidelines to assist service providers to respond to a complaint.

How complaints are resolved

The HCSCC may use one or more of a broad range of alternative dispute resolution processes including informal mediation, investigation and conciliation. There is flexibility in adopting the most appropriate process for a particular matter. Any agreement reached in the course of a conciliation process may be made in a binding form.

Information disclosed in a conciliation process is confidential and cannot be used as a process of discovery for potential litigation.

If, after investigating a complaint, the HCSCC decides that the complaint is justified but appears to be incapable of being resolved, the HCSCC may recommend that the service provider take particular action to remedy the grievance. The complainant may be notified of the recommendation.

Complaints against aged care service providers (which are subsidised by the Australian Government) can be made to the Aged Care Complaints Scheme (the ACCS).

The ACCS can inform whether or not a particular provider is subsidised.

Aged care service providers subsidised by the Australian Government must:

In 2011, the Complaints Investigation Scheme was renamed the Aged Care Complaints Scheme and a new complaints framework was created by the Complaints Principles 2011 (Cth).

Consumers (or their representatives) are encouraged to attempt to raise any concerns with the aged care service provider in the first instance. If they are unable to do this or the provider is unable to resolve their concern, they should then contact the Aged Care Complaints Scheme on 1800 550 552 or submit a complaint online (click here). Complaints may be confidential and/or anonymous.

The ACCS can consider complaints relating to providers responsibilities under the Aged Care Act 1997 (Cth). Complaints may relate to care generally, communication, choice of activities, catering, accommodation and facilities or discirimination.

Complaints may be resolved using one or more of the following methods:

Possible outcomes may include:

If a consumer (or their representative) are not satisfied with the outcome of their complaint, they may request a review, stating the reasons for the request, within 28 days of receiving the decision letter from the ACCS.

If a consumer (or their representative) are not satisfied with the way their complaint has been handled by the ACCS or, after review, are still not satisfied with the outcome, they may appeal to the Aged Care Commissioner. For more information about appealing to the Aged Care Commissioner, see the Commissioner's website (click here) or telephone 1800 500 294.

Complaints are managed in accordance with the Aged Care Complaints Scheme Guidelines. For more information, see the FAQs (click here) and Resources (click here) pages of the ACCS website, in particular the following resources:

Medicare is administered by the Commonwealth Government under the Health Insurance Act 1973 (Cth).

Complaints about Medicare and medical refunds can be made by telephoning the Department of Human Services Medicare and Centrelink Feedback and Complaints line on: 1800 132 468 or online at the Department of Human Services website: http://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/information/feedback-complaints?utm_id=9