Our role
We manage complaints about the conduct, performance and health of registered health practitioners in NSW.
As part of the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme, we manage complaints together with the Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC). This involves sharing of information and making joint decisions on the most effective and efficient ways of handling complaints.
We work in accordance with the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (NSW) and the Health Practitioner Regulation (New South Wales) Regulation 2016. When managing complaints, we ensure that our assessment and decision making processes are fair and the outcomes result in public protection and safety.
When managing a complaint we may:
- make further inquiries with the practitioner
- require the practitioner to attend a health and/or performance assessment
- hold a panel or committee meeting to decide whether or not we need to restrict the practitioner’s practice
- direct the practitioner to attend counselling
- refer a complaint for investigation to the HCCC or another person or body, such as a hospital or agency
- advise the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency of our decisions so it can update the national register of health practitioners
- monitor the practitioner’s compliance with any conditions (conditions on their registration or restricting their practice )
- determine that no further action is required
The complaints process provides a detailed overview of how we manage complaints.
How we protect the public
We focus on safe professional practice, maintaining public safety and minimising risk. We act to prevent unsafe practice and have legal powers to enable us to do so.
Our role is not to punish or discipline practitioners. When we take action, the protection of the health and safety of the public is our primary consideration.
We also ensure that practitioners comply with any conditions on their registration that restrict their practice.
- You can check if your practitioner is registered on the national register of practitioners.
- You can make a complaint about a health practitioner practising in NSW.
What we don’t do
As we are focused on protecting the health and safety of the NSW public, we do not deal with complaints about:
- registered practitioners not practising in NSW. To make a complaint about a practitioner outside of NSW contact the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.
- unregistered practitioners. If you are concerned about a NSW health practitioner whose name is not on the national register of practitioners, contact the Health Care Complaints Commission.
- organisations that provide health services like a hospital or clinic. If you want to do this contact the Health Care Complaints Commission or the health service you are concerned about.
- consumer or customer service about issues such as requests for refunds or queries regarding billing. If you want to complain about these issues go to the NSW Department of Fair Trading.
Education and research
We are committed to improving our work and promote education and research to enable this. Our education and research activities can be commissioned by us or we can partner with other health professional councils, stakeholders or external agencies.
We may also provide financial or other support for a research project that promotes our responsibilities and objectives and is consistent with our research priorities.
We will provide more information about our education and research projects shortly.