Better health and ageing for all Australians

Private health insurance

Private Patients' Hospital Charter - Contacts for complaints and further information

Here you will find a list of contacts for complaints and further information regarding the Private Patients' Hospital Charter.

In this section:

The Private Health Insurance Ombudsman is an independent national body established to deal with enquiries and complaints about private health insurance arrangements.

Suite 2, Level 22
580 George Street
Sydney NSW 2000

Phone: (02) 8235 8777
Fax: (02) 8235 8778
Toll free: 1800 640 695
Web site: www.phio.org.au
E-mail: info@phio.org.au

The Office of the Federal Privacy Commissioner

The Office of the Federal Privacy Commissioner is an independent national office established to deal with enquiries and complaints about privacy and the handling of personal information. The Privacy Commissioner is able to deal with complaints on the handling of personal information held in the private sector. If you have a complaint, you should raise it with the relevant organisation or individual before bringing it to the Privacy Commissioner.

GPO Box 5218
SYDNEY NSW 2001

Phone: 1300 363 992
(for the cost of a local call anywhere in Australia)
TTY for hearing impaired: 1800 620 241
Fax: (02) 9284 9666
E-mail: privacy@privacy.gov.au
Web site: www.privacy.gov.au

Health care complaints resolution bodies

State and territory complaints resolution bodies are all independent organisations dealing with complaints about health services (such as hospitals, medical centres and nursing homes) and individual health practitioners (such as doctors, nurses, dentists and counsellors).

New South Wales
Health Care Complaints Commission
Phone: (02) 9219 7444
Toll free: 1800 043 159
TTY for hearing impaired: (02) 9219 7555
Website: www.hccc.nsw.gov.au

Victoria
Office of the Health Services Commissioner
Phone: (03) 8601 5200
Toll free: 1800 136 066
TTY for hearing impaired: 1300 550 275
Website: www.health.vic.gov.au/hsc

Queensland
Health Quality and Complaints Commission
Phone: (07) 3120 5999
Toll free: 1800 077 308
TTY for hearing impaired: (07) 3120 5997
Website: www.hqcc.qld.gov.au

Australian Capital Territory
Human Rights Commissioner
Phone: (02) 6205 2222
TTY for hearing impaired: (02) 6207 1034
Website: www.hrc.act.gov.au

Western Australia
Office of Health Review
Phone: (08) 9323 0600
Toll free: 1800 813 583
TTY for hearing impaired: (03) 9323 0616
Website: www.healthreview.wa.gov.au

Tasmania
Complaints Commissioner Office of Health
Phone: (03) 6233 8966 or 1300 766 725
(for the cost of a local call in Australia)
Web site: www.healthcomplaints.tas.gov.au

Northern Territory
Health Complaints Commission
Darwin Phone: (08) 8999 1969
Alice Springs Phone: (08) 8951 5818
Toll free: 1800 806 380
Website: www.hcscc.nt.gov.au

South Australia
South Australian Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner
Enquiry Service Mon-Thurs 10am-4pm
Phone: (08) 8226 8666
Toll free: 1800 232 007
Reception: (08) 8226 8652
Website: www.hcscc.sa.gov.au

Further information

Private Health Insurance Administration Council

The Private Health Insurance Administration Council (PHIAC) is an independent statutory authority that regulates the private health insurance industry. In addition, PHIAC collects and disseminates financial and statistical data regarding health insurers and collects and disseminates information about private health insurance to enable consumers to make informed choices.

Suite 16, Level 1
71 Leichhardt Street
KINGSTON ACT 2604

Phone: (02) 6215 7900
Fax: (02) 6215 7977
E-mail: phiac@phiac.gov.au
Website: www.phiac.gov.au

Department of Health and Ageing

Further information about private health insurance is available from the Department of Health and Ageing.

Private Health Insurance Branch
MDP 401
Department of Health and Ageing
GPO Box 9848
CANBERRA ACT 2601

Phone: (02) 6289 9853
(24-hour answering machine)
E-mail: privatehealth@health.gov.au
Website: www.health.gov.au

Government website

There is a government website that provides information on private health insurance and a search facility to help you find private health insurance products to meet your needs. This site is located at www.PrivateHealth.gov.au
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