FAQ: What happens after I make a complaint?

Answer: The Medical Council and the Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) consult on all complaints to determine how each complaint will be dealt with. This consultation occurs on a weekly basis.

Courses of possible action include your complaint being:

  • referred to the HCCC for investigation
  • referred to the Council to assess a doctor's performance or health, or to counsel the doctor
  • referred to the Health Conciliation Registry for conciliation with the consent of both parties
  • terminated and no further action being taken.

Where a complaint is investigated by the HCCC, possible outcomes include:

  • that, where there is insufficient evidence to proceed or the complaint is not substantiated, no further action be taken with the complaint
  • that the practitioner be counselled by the Medical Council
  • that the matter be referred to the Director of Proceedings of the HCCC who will decide whether to refer the doctor to a Professional Standards Committee or the Medical Tribunal.

Complaints referred to a Professional Standards Committee or the Medical Tribunal are examined in a special inquiry. Where complaints are substantiated, these bodies may order that a practitioner have conditions placed on his/her registration or, in the case of a Medical Tribunal, that s/he be suspended or de-registered.

For further information, the staff at the Medical Council are available to talk with you about the complaint process and can be contacted by telephoning 02 9879 2200.

< Back to list of FAQs