Report on HCSCC’s role in contributing to improving the safety and quality of disability services provided to vulnerable people
To read a copy of the report - click here
Posted 8 March 2013
Code of Conduct for Unregistered Health Practitioners
To download a copy of the plain English version of the Code of Conduct - click here
Further information about the Code of Conduct is available on the SA Health website - click here
Posted 8 March 2013
Your rights when seeking or using health & community services in South Australia
Would you like to know more about your rights when seeking or using health or community services in South Australia?
Part 3 of the Health and Community Services Complaints Act 2004 (the Act) includes a Charter of Health and Community Services Rights (the HCSCC Charter). The HCSCC Charter was developed following consultation with service users, carers and health and community service providers in 2010. The Minister for Health tabled the HCSCC Charter in the South Australian Parliament on 8 March 2011. On the 23 June 2011 the HCSCC Charter came into force.
For further information about the HCSCC Charter please click here.
If you would like to view HCSCC Charter resources please click here.
hcscc complaint handling guides
A guide for providers PDF RTF
Request bulk quantities of brochures online or print the product order form and
send it to hcscc.
Disability service complaints PDF RTF
Making complaints about health or community services as a carer PDF RTF
Advance Care Planning
Advance care planning lets people know what is important to you, even if you become too sick to speak for yourself. HCSCC has developed a booklet about advance care planning to help people:
- think about what it means
- talk to their family and the other people most likely to be involved in making decisions for them if they become very ill
- talk with their doctor about their wishes for future medical treatment.
Knowing about your rights can help you and your family to think about and plan for your future medical care, and to get help if your decisions are not respected.
The aim of advance care planning is to ensure your “voice” is heard so that people know what is important to you, even when you are too sick to speak for yourself.
HCSCC Advance Care Planning booklet PDF RTF
To request bulk quantities of the booklet please complete the product order form and send it to hcscc.
If you would like to learn more about advance care planning, please use the links the below:
Respecting Patient Choices
Legal issues - Government of South Australia
Advance Care Planning: Who can make which decision? - a paper written by Dr John Brayley, Public Advocate, 7 December 2011
complaints culture surveys
Complaint Culture Surveys help service providers to identify the degree to which people feel comfortable to provide feedback, positive or negative about the services they receive. Feedback can be collected from service users, their families, advocates and staff from across the organisation. The surveys will identify areas where you are doing well and areas where you could further improve.
A positive complaints culture empowers service users, their families and advocates but can also help to improve the overall quality of the services you provide.
The Office of the Victorian Disability Services Commissioner has developed surveys for completion by each of the following groups:
- people with a disability supported by your organisation
- families and advocates of the people you support
- staff and volunteers at all levels, and from all areas across your organisation
Although the Office of the Victorian Disability Services Commissioner has a specific focus on disability service providers, much of the content of the Complaints Culture Surveys is applicable to most health and community service providers in South Australia.
The ‘Complaints Culture Surveys: Instructions for use’ provides an overview of the intent of the surveys, recommendations for implementation and suggestions regarding the use and review of information arising from the completed surveys.
Please use the links below to access the Complaints Culture Surveys directly from the website of the Office of the Victorian Disability Services Commissioner:
- Complaints Culture Surveys: Instructions for use
- Complaints Culture Surveys: People with a disability
- Complaints Culture Surveys: Families and advocates
- Complaints Culture Surveys: Staff
Disclaimer Statement:
Please Note: These resources are the property of the Office of the Victorian Disability Services Commissioner www.odsc.vic.gov.au.HCSCC has been granted permission by the Office of the Victorian Disability Services Commissioner to promote this resource for the purpose of facilitating the development of more effective approaches to the management and resolution of complaints. HCSCC promotes this resource to service users, their families and carers, and to health and community service providers for use as a general guide only. Please note that some parts of these resources may not be applicable in South Australia due to differences in state laws..
good practice guide
The Office of the Victorian Disability Services Commissioner has developed this guide and self audit tool to help disability service providers to develop and review their complaints management system to ensure that it:
- is responsive and accessible to people with a disability
- forms part of a broader quality culture that sees complaints as an opportunity for improving services.
Although the Office of the Victorian Disability Services Commissioner has a specific focus on disability service providers, much of the content of the Good Practice Guide is applicable to most health and community service providers in South Australia.
This resource allows organisations to self assess the extent to which their current processes, systems and culture promotes a positive environment of good quality complaints management. In turn, this can help to identify any service improvements that need to be made.
Please use the link below to access the Good Practice Guide and Self Assessment Tool directly from the website of the Office of the Victorian Disability Services Commissioner:
Disclaimer Statement:
Please Note: These resources are the property of the Office of the Victorian Disability Services Commissioner www.odsc.vic.gov.au. HCSCC has been granted permission by the Office of the Victorian Disability Services Commissioner to promote this resource for the purpose of facilitating the development of more effective approaches to the management and resolution of complaints. HCSCC promotes this resource to service users, their families and carers, and to health and community service providers for use as a general guide only. Please note that some parts of these resources may not be applicable in South Australia due to differences in state laws.
better practice complaints management guidelines
The following resources were developed by the former Australian Council for Safety and Quality in Healthcare (ACSQH).
ACSQHC Better Practice Guidelines July 2004 (58k PDF)
ACSQHC Better Practice Guidelines Complaints Handbook (465k PDF)
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Outreach Project
Speak Up pamphlet PDF RTF
Speak Up poster
product order form
Summary Report - Outreach Activities (Nov 2010 - June 2011) PDF RTF
Summary report – Outreach Activities (Jan - Oct 2010)
Ever felt like complaining? HCSCC Aboriginal Outreach Project
Project report
Project summary
Community information sheet
HCSCC preliminary action plan
Mental Health Outreach Project
Summary Report - Outreach Activities (Apr - June 2011) PDF RTF
Introduction to the Mental Health Outreach Project as noted in HCSCC Buzz (June 2011 edition) PDF RTF
hcscc information sheets
hcscc general information sheet
child protection complaints information sheet
getting your health records information sheet
unregistered service providers information sheet
safer conversations information sheet
hcscc reports
HCSCC comments draft SA Health restraint and seclusion policy
HCSCC Section 55 Report
2011-12 HCSCC Annual Report
2010-11 HCSCC Annual Report
HCSCC Interim Response to ZED Operational Review Recommendations & Findings 3 March 2011
2009-10 annual report
2008-09 annual report
HCSCC Annual Report 2007 08
Click Here to read the Annual Report 2006-07 in text only pdf version.
Click Here to read the Annual Report 2006-07 full colour pdf version.
hsccc inaugural annual report 2005/06
