Feedback and complaints

There are a number of ways you can provide feedback or make a complaint about the services that the department funds and provides, or the action of the department’s employees or authorised officers.

Complaints to the Department of Health

If you have a complaint, take the following steps to get your complaint resolved:

Step 1. Discuss your complaint with a staff member from the place where you are receiving the service.

Step 2. If your complaint cannot be resolved at Step 1, or you are dissatisfied with the outcome, you can choose one of the following ways to lodge a formal complaint with the department:

• Submit your complaint online. You may lodge a formal complaint online.
• Email the department’s Feedback and Complaints team via feedback@health.vic.gov.au
• Mail: Health Feedback, GPO Box 4057, Melbourne, Victoria, 3000.

If you seek a review of a Detention Notice issued by an authorised officer, please proceed to the Detention Appeal webpages and Portal to complete a Detention Appeals Application form. 

Acknowledgement and consent

You acknowledge that feedback (including compliments), or a complaint that you submit electronically by email or using the online mechanism, or by mail, may be disclosed:

• To discuss with the relevant service provider, hospital, health service or program within the Department of Health, your feedback or complaint and any information related to the feedback or complaint; and/or,
• To request and collect any relevant information or documents about you relating to your submission from any other organisation which may be involved with, or referred to, in the feedback or complaint.

By submitting your feedback or complaint you consent to the disclosure of the feedback or complaint in the manner and for the purpose or purposes, described here.

For information on how the department collects, uses and stores personal or health information, you should refer to the privacy policy.

Hospital or health service complaints

If you have feedback or a complaint relating to a Victorian public health service, you should contact the patient representative or consumer liaison officer at the relevant hospital. All Victorian health services have patient representatives available to answer queries or address concerns. Patient representatives can be contacted by phoning general hospital enquiries contact numbers.

To find hospital contact information, see list of Public hospital websites in Victoria.

Private hospitals, day procedure centres and bush nursing hospitals

If you have feedback or a complaint about privates hospitals, day procedures or bush nursing hospitals please refer to the Complaints about private health facilities.

Cemeteries and crematoria

If you have feedback or a complaint about a cemetery trust, please contact the cemetery trust directly to discuss the matter. Cemetery trust contact details can be accessed via the Cemetery search.

For information about cemeteries and crematoria complaints that can be referred to the department see Cemeteries and crematoria complaints.

Complaints about procurement

Procurement

If you have feedback or a complaint about a departmental procurement process (e.g. tender or request for quote process conducted by the department) please refer to the Procurement policies page

Unresolved health and mental health complaints

The Victorian Government has a number of avenues for complaint resolution if you are dissatisfied with your service provider’s response.

Health Complaints Commissioner (HCC)

The HCC is an independent statutory authority established to receive and resolve complaints about health service providers. You can make a written complaint to the HCC. If you need help to put your complaint in writing, ring the HCC telephone advice line: 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday on toll free telephone number 1300 582 113. For more information go to the Health Complaints Commissioner website.

Mental Health Complaints Commissioner (MHCC)

If you have a complaint about a public mental health service in Victoria the MHCC can assist you. They can help you write your complaint; will discuss your options and they may be able to help you raise your concern directly with the service if appropriate. The MHCC can be contacted on 1800 246 054. Go to the Mental Health Complaints Commissioner site for more information.

Aged Care Complaints Commissioner

Aged care homes are owned and operated by individuals and organisations that have Commonwealth Government approval to provide residential care. If you have a complaints refer to the Aged Care Complaints Commissioner.

Other complaints

You may also consider calling:

• Victorian Ombudsman - deals with complaints concerning actions of Victorian government departments.
• Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC) - for complaints concerning discrimination on the grounds of disability, sex, race, age, industrial activity, marital, parental or carer status, political or religious beliefs, sexual orientation or pregnancy. The Commission will assist people to prepare statements and to lodge a complaint.
• Office of the Public Advocate (OPA) - represents the interests of Victorian people with a disability.
• Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) - manages the registration process for health practitioners around Australia and receives notifications (complaints) in relation to investigations into the professional conduct, performance or health of registered health practitioners.

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