Service Charter
The Health and Disability Services Complaints Office (HaDSCO) Service Charter describes what you can expect from HaDSCO when you make a complaint, as well as the expectations we have of you in order to resolve your complaint.
Service Charter
When you make a complaint to HaDSCO, you can expect that we will be:
Supportive
- We will listen carefully to understand your complaint, and we will take your concerns seriously.
Flexible and accessible
- We will provide you with the assistance you need to make your complaint.
- We will do our best to find an approach to resolving your complaint that suits your circumstances.
Independent
- We will act independently at all times, without direction or favour towards any party.
Professional
- We will treat all parties with dignity and respect.
- All of your personal information will be kept secure and your privacy maintained.
- We will suggest the right place for you to take your complaint if we cannot help you.
Objective and honest
- We will assist the parties to a complaint to find a mutually agreeable resolution.
- We will admit if we make a mistake and take steps to correct it.
Timely
- We will resolve your complaint within our legislated time frames, and keep you updated on our progress.
When you make a complaint to HaDSCO, we expect the following from you:
- Unless your circumstances prevent you, attempt to resolve the matter directly with the service provider first.
- Treat our staff and the service provider with courtesy and respect.
- Let our staff know if you require assistance to make your complaint.
- Provide a completed complaint form to allow for your complaint to be assessed.
- Provide all the information requested by our staff in a timely manner.
- Notify us if there is any change in your circumstances or if you have raised your complaint with another organisation.
- Be willing and available to participate in the resolution process with HaDSCO and the service provider.
- Understand that while HaDSCO will work with you and the service provider to reach resolution, we cannot guarantee a certain outcome from your complaint.
We also expect the following from service providers who are the subject of a complaint:
- Treat our staff and the individual making the complaint with courtesy and respect.
- Provide all the information requested by our staff in a timely manner.
- Be willing and available to participate in the resolution process with HaDSCO and the individual who has made the complaint.
- Offer redress where appropriate to the individual who has made a complaint.
- See complaints as an opportunity to improve service delivery.
- Implement any recommendations for improvements to service delivery or complaint handling that result from the resolution process.
If you are not happy with the service you received from HaDSCO, or the way your health service complaint has been managed, please let us know by using our Feedback Form. You can also let us know your concerns by phone, email, or post.
- You can request an internal review of your health service complaint management if there is a specific dispute about the processes applied, or decision/s made.
- The internal review is conducted by a senior officer who was not involved in the decision-making process for the original complaint outcome.
- A request for an internal review must be submitted in writing within six months of the date of the original decision.
- We aim to address your complaint within 15 business days from when the complaint was received. If there is a further delay due to the complexity of your feedback, we will let you know.
- If your concerns remain unresolved following HaDSCO’s internal review process, you can contact the Ombudsman Western Australia to request an external review.
- It is against the law to threaten or dismiss, discipline, disadvantage or subject anyone to any detriment for making or intending to make a complaint.
What we cannot do
We are committed to helping health consumers in Western Australia and the Indian Ocean Territories with safe and ethical health care provision but there are some things we cannot do:
We cannot:
- force health service providers to take part in the complaint resolution process,
- always get agreement on the outcome a complainant wants,
- discipline practitioners registered by a National Board with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra),
- act as an advocate, or take sides for one party or another,
- provide legal advice or operate outside the legislation that governs us.
There are also some issues we can't help you with, such as complaints about:
- the contents of a medical report
- Medicare or health insurance
- orders made by the Mental Health Tribunal
- orders made by the Guardianship and Administration Board
- health services received in another state or territory.
Other organisations are available to look into issues which we cannot deal with or they may be more suitable.
Aged care providers
The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission provides a free service for anyone to raise a concern or make a complaint about the quality of care or services provided to people receiving Australian Government funded aged care.
Breaches of privacy and access to medical records
The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner is the independent national regulator for privacy and freedom of information. They promote and uphold your rights to access Commonwealth government-held information and have your personal information protected.
Cosmetic Surgery complaints
Patients who have been harmed by cosmetic surgery are encouraged to directly report their concerns by contacting the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency’s Cosmetic Surgery Hotline on 1300 361 041.
Conduct of a registered health service practitioner
If you have concerns about the conduct or performance of a registered medical practitioner, you can complain to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra).
Defective health-related products
You may have noticed a defect or fault with a health-related product you have purchased, for example, hearing aids, dentures etc. Contact Consumer Protection at the Department of Mines, Industry Regulations and Safety to make a complaint.
NDIS disability service providers
The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission accepts complaints from anyone about NDIS providers, services or supports that were not provided in a safe and respectful way or to an appropriate standard.
Private Health Insurance
The role of the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman is to protect the interests of private health insurance consumers in a number of ways. Contact them to make an online complaint. This is managed through the Commonwealth Ombudsman.
There are various health consumer advocacy organisations that can help you to contact HaDSCO and/or to lodge a formal complaint with us.
- Mental Health Advocacy Service - The Mental Health Advocacy Service WA is independent from hospitals and mental health services and offers a free service supporting people who are receiving or referred for involuntary mental health treatment. Voluntary mental health patients aged under 18 years can also request help from a specialist Youth advocate.
- Health Consumers’ Council of WA – Health Consumers’ Council of WA provide an individual advocacy service to any person experiencing an issue with the WA Health system.
- Carers WA - Carers WA is the peak body that represents the needs and interests of carers in Western Australia. They support the empowerment and wellbeing of carers through programs, services, and advocacy.
For complaints about health service providers or health care workers in other states and territories, please contact the relevant health complaints entity in that state or territory.
Australian Capital Territory Health Services Commissioner
Phone number: (02) 6205 2222
New South Wales Health Care Complaints Commission
Phone number: 1800 043 159
Northern Territory Health and Community Services Complaints Commission
Phone number: 1800 004 474
Queensland Office of the Health Ombudsman
Phone number: 133 646
South Australia Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner
Phone number: 1800 232 007
Tasmania Health Complaints Commissioner
Phone number: 1800 001 170
Victorian Health Complaints Commissioner
Phone number: 1300 582 113