HCSCC Services

HCSCC Services

A consumer or their nominated representative such as a family member, carer, guardian or advocate can make a complaint. The Commissioner can also accept a complaint from a service provider or someone else.

How we resolve complaints

The HCSCC can help resolve complaints through the following methods:

1. Assessing the issue
We will look at the issue being presented to us and decide if we can deal with it and if any further action is required.

2. Direct Resolution
We may request that you try to resolve the issue directly with the health or community service. We can help you with this and be kept informed of the service provider’s response.

3. Informal mediation
We may try informal meditation between you and the health or community service to reach an appropriate resolution. This could entail a series of telephone calls, an exchange of information or a meeting with you and the service provider which we run.

4. Conciliation
We may choose to bring the parties together in a highly confidential way to address the issues of the complaint. We may conciliate matters that are very complex, serious or involve financial settlements

5. Investigation
The HCSCC may choose to do an investigation into a matter that has been brought to our attention. This approach is taken where serious and/or systemic matters arise from the complaint and it is not amenable to the other forms of complaints resolution.

6. Refer
Your complaint could be best handled by another body and we will refer the matter to them.

Education and training

HCSCC provides education and training to improve the resolution of complaints. HCSCC also provides information, education and advice about the HCSCC Charter rights and responsibilities.

The HCSCC:

  • distributes HCSCC resources and publications
  • provides reports
  • presents workshops to groups of consumers, health and community service providers, professional organisations and peak bodies (request a guest speaker)
  • provides relevant training programs (e.g. managing unreasonable complainant behaviour and effective complaint handling).

Our commitment to you:

  • we will listen to your concerns
  • we will treat you with courtesy, dignity and respect
  • we will respect your right to privacy
  • we will work cooperatively with all parties to explore options to resolve the issues
  • our advice to all parties will be independent, impartial and honest
  • where possible we will seek your permission to obtain necessary information
  • we aim to provide you with high quality information and advice in plain language
  • we will give reasons for our decisions and recommendations
  • we will regularly monitor our standards to ensure we maintain a high level of integrity and performance
  • if we can’t assist you we’ll try to refer you to someone who can.

You can access our services by:

  • Contacting our free Enquiry Service which operates Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 5.00pm.
  • completing our contact form
  • home or site visits can be arranged on request

Timeliness:

  • we will follow up all telephone messages within two working days of receipt
  • we will acknowledge all letters, faxes and emails within three working days of receipt
  • we will try to finalise complaints accepted by the HCSCC within six weeks. If this is not possible, we will keep all parties informed about progress

If we are unable to assist with your complaint, we will try to provide you with an appropriate referral.

Our expectations of you are that:

  • you’ll treat us with courtesy
  • you’ll be honest in all your dealings with us
  • where reasonable, you’ll provide us with information when requested
  • you’ll keep us informed of any developments that have a bearing on your complaint.

If you want a decision about your complaint reviewed:

Please click here.