HaDSCO 25th Anniversary

Improving health, disability and mental health services through complaint resolution since 1996

• Over 50,000 complaints received by the Health and Disability Services Complaints Office since 16 September 1996
• Over 1,200 service improvements have resulted through the work of the Office
• Over 1,100 redress outcomes achieved over the past five years

2021 marks 25th anniversary of the Health and Disability Services Complaints Office (HaDSCO).  Since opening on 16 September 1996, it has received over 50,000 complaints, resulting in over 1,200 service improvements.

There have also been apologies, explanations, fee refunds and other restorative actions, with over 1,100 redress outcomes over the last five years alone.

Originally called the Office of Health Review, the Office was established under landmark legislation, the Health Services (Conciliation and Review) Act 1995 which was created to improve the quality and accountability of the Western Australian health system.  

The Act provided an entirely new concept and way of thinking about the handling health complaints, recognising the importance for all parties to be involved in the resolution process and allowed deficiencies in the health delivery system to be identified and improvements and changes implemented.

In 1999 the State Parliament legislated to transfer the responsibility for handling complaints about disability services to the Office.

Following a review of the Act, the revised Health and Disability Services (Complaints) Act 1995 came into effect in 2010.  This resulted in the Office having access to negotiated settlement as a resolution option, as well as a name change for the agency to what it is now known, the Health and Disability Services Complaints Office. 

With the implementation of the Mental Health Act 2014 the Office also took on the responsibility of managing mental health complaints.

In 2021, with the implementation of the Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2019, HaDSCO can receive complaints about the voluntary assisted dying process, which is one of the safeguards provided in this important piece of legislation.

In the first year of operation the Office encompassed a team of 13 and received 671 complaints.

Today HaDSCO operates with a team of 17, receiving over 2,800 complaints a year.

HaDSCO also works closely with service providers and the community to provide holistic health, disability and mental care services for the people of Western Australia.

To coincide with the 25^th Anniversary, HaDSCO has released an Information Sheet commemorating the history of the Office.