Office of Aged Care Quality and Compliance (OACQC)

Aged Care Complaints Investigation Scheme

The Aged Care Complaints Investigation Scheme is available to anyone who has a complaint or concern about an Australian Government-subsidised aged care service (residential or community care).

Working together to fix the problem

Please take the time to read the information contained on this page about the Aged Care Complaints Investigation Scheme (CIS) before completing and submitting a complaint/information form using the button below.

Links are also included at the bottom of this page to other important information that you should read before submitting a complaint/information form. These links allow you to access the CIS Privacy Statement and to view information contained on the web site of the Office of the Aged Care Commissioner.

Introduction
What is the Complaints Investigation Scheme (CIS)?
What can you complain about?
Who can complain to the CIS?
How can I complain?
How does the CIS work?
Who manages the CIS?
Aged Care Commissioner
CIS Privacy Statement

Introduction

The Complaints Investigation Scheme (CIS) is available to anyone who wishes to provide information or raise a complaint or concern about an Australian Government-subsidised aged care service, including:

• residents of aged care homes;
• people receiving community aged care packages or flexible care; or
• relatives, guardians or legal representatives of those receiving care.

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What is the Complaints Investigation Scheme (CIS)?

The CIS:

• is a free service which investigates concerns raised about the health, safety and/or well-being of people receiving aged care;
• has the power to investigate these concerns and require the service provider, where appropriate, to take action; and
• is able to refer issues that may be more appropriately dealt with by others (eg. police, nursing and medical registration boards).

You may download these documents in PDF and HTML format:

• Aged Care Complaints Investigation Scheme
• The Aged Care Complaints Investigation Scheme - Plain English Brochure
• The Aged Care Complaints Investigation Scheme - Information for Residential Aged Care Workers

What concerns can you raise?

The Aged Care Act 1997 (the Act) sets out the responsibilities of approved providers who receive Australian Government funding to provide care and services to care recipients. The CIS can investigate information or complaints about cases where an approved provider may not be meeting their responsibilities under the Act.

The information, complaint or concern may be about anything regarding the care and services provided to aged care recipients. For example care, catering, financial matters, hygiene, equipment, security, activities, choice, comfort and safety.

Who can contact the CIS?

Anyone can contact the CIS with a complaint or a concern - care recipient, family member, care provider, staff member, GP etc. Complaints can be made openly, anonymously or your name can be kept confidential.

You may want to talk to your aged care manager first - some issues can be resolved easily. If you're uncomfortable doing this, or aren't happy with what has happened with your complaint, you can contact the Aged Care Complaints Investigation Scheme directly.

If required, the CIS can provide access to:

• an interpreter service;
• a TTY (deaflink) phone service; or
• a free and confidential advocacy service.

Representatives of advocacy services may:

• inform you of your rights and entitlements;
• tell you about the help they can provide; and
• assist you to voice your concerns with the CIS.Top of page

How can I provide information, raise a concern or make a complaint?

You can you provide information or make a complaint either on free-call 1800 550 552 or in writing to:

Aged Care Complaints Investigation Scheme
C/- Department of Health and Ageing
GPO Box 9848
In your Capital City.

You can also submit the online form below.

How does the CIS work?

When you contact the CIS we will:

• listen to and clarify your concerns;
• explain how the CIS works; and
• inform you of your right to have the assistance of an advocacy service if you wish.

The CIS will, where appropriate:

• take detailed notes and record information in the CIS database;
• decide if the information provided relates to an approved provider's responsibilities;
• refer the matter to another agency if that is more appropriate;
• investigate the information we receive to determine whether or not a service provider is providing appropriate care and services;
• tell providers who have not met their responsibilities what they have to do to address an issue and specify the timeframe in which this must be done;
• provide feedback on the outcome of the contact.

There are however, some matters the CIS cannot deal with. For example, we cannot say who should make financial, legal or health decisions on behalf of a care recipient. We cannot comment on industrial matters such as wages or employment conditions or provide legal advice on any problems.
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Who manages the CIS?

The CIS is managed by the Office of Aged Care Quality and Compliance within the Department of Health and Ageing. If you have any concerns about the way the CIS has handled your complaint or concerns, you can raise them with the CIS Manager in your State or Territory. Alternatively, you can contact the Aged Care Commissioner.

Aged Care Commissioner

The Office of the Aged Care Commissioner has been established to independently review the way in which the CIS handles complaints. The Aged Care Commissioner can look at decisions made by the CIS in relation to the investigation of complaints and also has the power to examine, as a result of a complaint or on their own initiative, the CIS's administrative processes for investigating complaints.

The Office of the Aged Care Commissioner can be contacted during business hours on free call 1800 500 294.

Further information can be found on the Office of the Aged Care Commissioner's website at http://www.agedcarecommissioner.net.au

CIS Privacy Statement

You may download this document in PDF format:

PDF printable version of CIS Privacy Statement (PDF 146 KB)

The Investigation Principles 2007 made under the Aged Care Act 1997 contain detailed procedures regarding the operation of the CIS.

If you would now like to forward information or make a complaint to the Aged Care Complaints Investigation Scheme please complete the online Complaints form.

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