Office of Aged Care Quality and Compliance (OACQC)

Role of the Aged Care Commissioner

Information about the role of the Aged Care Commissioner

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The Aged Care Commissioner is an integral part of the regulatory framework for dealing with complaints about Australian Government-subsidised aged care. This framework includes the Aged Care Complaints Investigation Scheme (the Scheme) which is administered by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing's (the Department) Office of Aged Care Quality and Compliance (the Office).

The Aged Care Commissioner (the Commissioner) holds a statutory appointment and is independent of the Department.

The Commissioner is able to:

• review examinable decisions made by the Office in relation to the investigation of complaints;
• examine, as a result of a complaint or on their own initiative ('own motion'), the Department's processes for investigating complaints; and
• examine complaints about how the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency (the Agency) conducts itself with regard to the accreditation of Australian Government-subsidised aged care services.

The Commissioner does not have the power to examine complaints about the merits of decisions made by the Agency, as these are subject to review by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.

The Commissioner makes recommendations to the relevant body (either the Department or the Agency) regarding the outcomes of such examinations.

At the end of each financial year, the Commissioner presents the Minister for Ageing with a report on the operations of their office. This report is presented to Parliament.

If you would like further information regarding the role of the Commissioner or wish to make a complaint about the operation of the Scheme, please contact:

Telephone: 1800 500 294 (freecall)

Website: http://www.agedcarecommissioner.net.au (and complete the Online Complaints Form)

Address: Office of the Aged Care Commissioner
Locked Bag 3
Collins Street East VIC 8003
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