Opportunity to improve the health complaint & notification process

07 Aug 2013

Independent study by University of Sydney researchers: Community expectations & experiences of health complaints & notifications processes.

Researchers from The University of Sydney are undertaking an independent and anonymous survey about how complaints and notifications made against registered doctors, nurses, midwives, dental practitioners, psychologists and pharmacists are managed.

Everyone who has made a complaint or notification that was managed by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), a National Board, the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) or a NSW Health Professional Council relating to one of these five health professions and whose complaint or notification is closed in the period 1 July 2013 to 30 June 2014 will be invited to participate in a survey.

The Medical Board of Australia is not conducting the survey, but we are supporting it because it is part of a series of studies that will help improve the management of complaints and notifications in the future. Individuals and organisations whose complaint or notification is closed in this period will automatically be sent a letter with further details. This letter should arrive in the month after you received a letter advising that your complaint or notification has been finalised and closed.

If you do not receive a letter and your matter was about one of the health professionals listed above, you can contact: research@ahpra.com.au.

If you have questions about the study, the research leader at The University of Sydney is Suzanne Pierce, who can be reached at spie2144@uni.sydney.edu.au.