If you practise or receive health treatments in Victoria, you’ll want to be across changes to Victorian health complaints and the code of conduct now in effect.
What is the new health complaints law?
In April 2016, the Victorian Parliament passed the Health Complaints Act 2016 – replacing previous legislation.
The Act does two things:
- Establish a Health Complaints Commissioner (HCC), to handle complaints about health services.
- Establish a new Code of Conduct for general health services (providers who aren’t registered with AHPRA).
Let’s look at each in turn.
What is the HCC?
The HCC (formerly the Health Services Commissioner) now has more power to launch investigations following complaints about non-registered practitioners. It can:
- Order a practitioner to stop practising, or put certain conditions on their services and work – if the HCC believes the therapist poses a serious risk to the health, safety or welfare of a person or the public.
- Check up to ensure the practitioner is complying with those orders.
- Publish public health warnings.
Practitioners: what you need to know
Whether you’re a massage therapist, kinesiologist, dietitian, aromatherapist or provide any "general health service" in Victoria, it’s a good idea to be across the new law and how it affects you. "General health service" covers anyone who claims to treat illnesses (or suspected illness) – a wide net that includes almost all natural therapies.
The HCC website has lots of information on handling complaints, as well as your rights and obligations under the new law and code of conduct.
Patients: what you need to know
The HCC website also has a dedicated section for the public, outlining how to lodge a complaint about a practitioner, and what to expect from a health service. The HCC says, "You have a right to access safe, quality healthcare and to be treated with respect. Raising your concerns when this doesn't happen protects your rights and can improve the health system for all Victorians."
Originally published on Jun 22, 2018
