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What if I have concerns about my care and services?

Information sheet for people receiving care and services through Community Aged Care packages, Extended Aged Care at Home packages, Extended Aged Care at Home Dementia packages and the National Respite for Carers Program.

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PDF printable version of What if I have concerns about my care and services? (PDF 82 KB)

Do I have the right to make a complaint?

Yes, you have the right to make a complaint about your care or services.

You have the right to do so without being afraid that you will lose your care or be disadvantaged in any other way. Your complaint must be investigated fairly and can be kept confidential if you wish.

You also have the right to receive written information from your service provider about how they handle complaints (their policy).

What can I do if I am not satisfied with my services?

If you feel comfortable, start by speaking to your care coordinator about your concerns.

If you are uncomfortable, or if you have already talked to your care coordinator but are still not satisfied, then you can make a free call to someone else (see below).

If you have concerns about your care or services, it is a good idea to write everything down before you make a call. You may wish to write down a description of events such as what happened and when, phone calls you have made or received, letters you have written or received and meetings you have attended. You can ask someone to help you with this.

Type of service	Action
Community Aged Care packages or Extended Aged Care at Home packages or Extended Aged Care at Home Dementia packages	Call the Aged Care Complaints Scheme on 1800 550 552 (free call). Information on the Scheme is provided overleaf.
National Respite for Carers Program	Call the Aged Care Information Line on 1800 500 853 (free call).

Remember!

Act quickly when you have a complaint. The earlier you tell someone, the sooner your concerns can be addressed.

Aged Care Complaints Scheme

You can telephone the Aged Care Complaints Scheme about your concerns on 1800 550 552. Concerns can be discussed with the Scheme openly and you can remain anonymous or ask for your details to be kept confidential if you wish. The service is free.

The person you call will:

• listen to your concerns
• explain how the Aged Care Complaints Scheme works
• deal with your concerns quickly, fairly, consistently and without retribution
• refer issues you raise to others if needed (such as nurses or the police)
• look into your concerns
• keep you up-to-date on how your concerns are being handled.

Complaints can also be made in writing to:
Aged Care Complaints Scheme
C/– Department of Health and Ageing
GPO Box 9848 in your Capital City

Complaints can also be lodged online. Follow the links to the Complaints Scheme at the Department of Health and Ageing website

Can I get help in making a complaint?

Yes you can. You have the right to have another person speak for you (this person is called an advocate). You can choose your own advocate. It can be a relative, a friend, or someone from an advocacy service. Your service provider can advise you of advocacy services who will act for you or you can contact the National Aged Care Advocacy Line on 1800 700 600. This service is free and confidential. You can change your advocate at any time.

This information sheet is for people receiving care and services through Community Aged Care packages, Extended Aged Care at Home packages, Extended Aged Care at Home Dementia packages and the National Respite for Carers Program.

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