We work with the Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) to manage complaints. It doesn’t matter if you make a complaint to the HCCC, AHPRA or the Council, because we share information. The HCCC and we will decide together what we should do in response to your complaint. You can find out more about the work of the HCCC.

We manage complaints through our heath, performance or conduct pathway, depending on the issue. Each of these processes is slightly different and you can read more about each of these pathways below.

The professional conduct pathway manages complaints where the primary issue is conduct. This may include lower risk conduct issues, or matters of unsatisfactory professional conduct or professional misconduct.

Read more about how we handle complaints about a health practitioner’s professional conduct.

The Health Program is for health practitioners and students whose health is impaired and could place the public at risk. It is designed to protect the public while keeping impaired practitioners in safe practice, when this is possible. The Health Program is constructive and non-disciplinary.

Read more about the Health Program.

The Performance Program applies when we have concerns about the standard of a health practitioner’s professional performance. This supportive program is focused on education and retraining, while making sure the public is safe.

Read more about the Performance Program.

There are many different possible outcomes of a complaint, including:

• no action
• no further action following a council process
• restricting practice
• suspension
• cancellation
• monitoring.

Learn more about complaint outcomes.