2. Recognising and responding to complaints

There will be times when consumers will be dissatisfied with the care they have received and want to complain. There may also be times when consumers raise information that calls for a response, even if they do not ask you to do so. So, what do you do?

1. Reassure the person that their involvement in this project is to give direct input into work that is aimed at fixing the problems that they experienced and to improve the experiences that future patients and carers may have.
2. Check the relevant Local Health District (LHD) or Specialty Health Networks (SHN) complaints processes. Then advise the person they can raise a complaint by contacting the manager for the service or the Clinical Governance Unit of their LHD or SHN where the problem occurred. Provide the person with the relevant contact details. Key contacts within the LHD may include the local Consumer Participation Manager, Quality and Safety Manager or Compliments and Complaints Officer.
3. Provide the person with the details of the Health Care Complaints Commission, the New South Wales (NSW) Ombudsman and the Information and Privacy Commission (see Key contacts for escalations and management of complaints).