Health Care Complaint
Unhappy with care from a GP, hospital, dentist, specialist, pharmacy or other health service? A clear complaint letter to the provider setting out what happened, your concerns and what you want done, plus a complaint statement for you to check and lodge with your state or territory health complaints body if it is not resolved. A complaint, not a compensation claim. Ready in about 5 minutes.
What this document does
- A clear complaint letter to the practice, hospital or practitioner: what happened, your concerns, and what you want them to do.
- A complaint statement for your state or territory health complaints body, which you check and lodge yourself if the provider does not resolve it.
- Names the right body for the state where the care was given: the Health Care Complaints Commission, the Health Complaints Commissioner, the Office of the Health Ombudsman, HaDSCO and the others.
- A complaint, not a negligence or compensation claim: it asks for an explanation, an apology, a review or a change in practice, and can ask for a refund of a fee.
- Covers someone else's care too, such as a parent or child, when they have agreed to you complaining for them.
- Delivered as PDFs you download and send or lodge yourself. Claim Done does not lodge anything for you.
What we'll ask you
Plain-English questions, one at a time. No legal knowledge needed — if you don't know an answer exactly, your best estimate is fine.
- Who is the complaint about?
- What is the name of the practice, hospital or service? If it is about one person, add their name too.
- Whose care is this about? If it is someone else, give their name, how you are related, and whether they have agreed to you complaining for them.
- When and where was the care? Dates, and the clinic, ward or department.
- What went wrong with your care? Tell me what happened, in order — what was said and who said it, where you can remember.
- What is your main concern?
- How much was charged, or how much of a refund are you asking for?
- How has this affected you, or the person who received the care?
- Have you raised this with the provider yet?
- If you have raised it: when, with whom, and what they said. Skip this if you have not raised it yet.optional
- What would you like to happen? For example an explanation, an apology, a review of the care, a copy of your records, a refund of a fee, or a change so it does not happen again.
- What documents do you have? Letters, discharge summaries, receipts, test results, emails, your own notes.optional
- You review it first · Nothing is sent to anyone else
- 2 free amendments included
- All Australian states and territories
- Stripe secured · 256-bit encrypted
Your health complaints body, state by state
Each state and territory has its own health complaints body. The statement is addressed to the body for the state or territory where the care was given.
New South Wales
Health care complaints in New South Wales go to the Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC).
Health complaints body: Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC)
Victoria
Health care complaints in Victoria go to the Health Complaints Commissioner (HCC), under the Health Complaints Act 2016 (Vic).
Health complaints body: Health Complaints Commissioner
Queensland
Health care complaints in Queensland go to the Office of the Health Ombudsman (OHO), the single point of entry for health service complaints in Queensland, including concerns about registered practitioners (it works with Ahpra in a co-regulatory model).
Health complaints body: Office of the Health Ombudsman
Western Australia
Health care complaints in Western Australia go to the Health and Disability Services Complaints Office (HaDSCO).
Health complaints body: Health and Disability Services Complaints Office (HaDSCO)
South Australia
Health care complaints in South Australia go to the Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner (HCSCC).
Health complaints body: Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner
Tasmania
Health care complaints in Tasmania go to the Health Complaints Commissioner. The process is free; raising the concerns in writing with the provider first, and allowing at least 20 business days for a reply, is a requirement where it is appropriate; complaints to the Commissioner must be in writing; and a complaint is usually not accepted if the person became aware of the issue more than two years earlier.
Health complaints body: Health Complaints Commissioner (Tasmania)
Australian Capital Territory
Health care complaints in the Australian Capital Territory go to the ACT Human Rights Commission, where the Health Services Commissioner deals with complaints about all health services in the Territory, public and private, and about access to health records under the Health Records (Privacy and Access) Act 1997 (ACT).
Health complaints body: ACT Human Rights Commission (Health Services Commissioner)
Northern Territory
Health care complaints in the Northern Territory go to the Health and Community Services Complaints Commission (HCSCC); the office of Commissioner is held by the Integrity and Ethics Commissioner.
Health complaints body: Health and Community Services Complaints Commission
From your answers to a finished Health Complaint in three steps
Answer 12 quick questions
Who it’s about, what happened and what you want. Plain English, one question at a time.
We draft the letter and the statement
Your complaint letter to the provider and your statement for your state or territory health complaints body are drafted from your answers, then formatted as professional PDFs. Usually ready within about five minutes.
Review, confirm, receive
The draft lands in your dashboard for you to read. Change anything that isn't right (two free amendments), confirm it, and we email you the final PDF. Nothing is sent to anyone else.
Ready? Start now.
No card required until the end. No account needed to start.
Start My Health Complaint — $49 →$49 flat fee · You review it first · edit it yourself any time, plus 2 redrafts
Everything about the Health Care Complaint
How much does the Health Complaint cost?
A flat $49 AUD, including GST. There is no card required to start, no subscription and no hourly rate — you see the full summary of your answers before you pay.
How long does it take?
There are 12 questions, which take a few minutes to answer. You see a full summary of your answers before you pay; your document is drafted once your payment is confirmed.
When do I get the document?
The draft of your Health Care Complaint is usually ready in about 5 minutes. You read it on your dashboard and can change the wording; once you confirm it, the final PDF is available to download and emailed to you.
What if I need changes?
You read the full Health Complaint on your dashboard first. You can change the wording or ask for a redraft, with unlimited edits and 2 redrafts included, then confirm it and the final PDF is yours to download and keep.
Does it work in my state?
Yes. The complaint statement is addressed to the health complaints body for the state or territory where the care was given: NSW, Victoria, Queensland, WA, SA, Tasmania, the ACT or the NT.
Do I have to complain to the provider first?
Most bodies ask you to, and in Western Australia and Tasmania it is a requirement where it is appropriate. That is why this pack includes the letter to the provider as well as the statement.
Is this a medical negligence claim?
No. It is a complaint. It asks the provider to explain, apologise, review the care or change what they do. It does not claim compensation for injury. The Health Care Complaints Commission says it cannot order a provider to pay compensation, and HaDSCO says it cannot assist with compensation claims.
What about Ahpra?
Ahpra and the National Boards deal with safety concerns about individual registered practitioners, and a National Board cannot award compensation. In New South Wales these concerns go to the Health Care Complaints Commission or the Health Professional Councils Authority, and in Queensland to the Office of the Health Ombudsman first.
Can I complain about a family member's care?
Yes, where they have agreed to you complaining for them. Some bodies, such as those in South Australia and Western Australia, ask for their signed permission or authorisation.
Other government & complaints documents
Put it in writing today.
A few quick questions and your Health Care Complaint is drafted for your state. No card required until the end.
Start My Health Complaint — $49 →