Palmers Medical Centre Complaint Resolution Process
Current as of: 20th July 2024
Introduction
This section provides a guideline on how patients and others can raise a complaint against the processes at Palmers Medical Centre or one of the staff members or clinicians.
Background
Opportunities are available for patients and other visitors to tell us, “How we are doing” and we collect systematic patient experience feedback at least every three (3) years.
The practice information sheet and below sections provides patients with information on how to provide feedback, including how to make a complaint.
We have a complaints resolution process which all members of the practice team can describe, and we also make the contact details for the State of Victoria health complaints commisioner readily available to patients if we are unable to resolve their concerns.
Patients have a ‘right to complain’ and where possible, patients and others are encouraged to raise any concerns directly with the practice team who are all trained to make sure patients of the practice feel confident that any feedback or complaints made will be handled appropriately. We believe most complaints can be responded to and resolved at the time the patients or other people such as carers, relatives, friends, or other consumers make them known to our team.
Under national and State of Victoria privacy laws, our practice provides and adheres to a complaints process for privacy issues and those related to the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).
All members of our practice team are educated to be prepared to address complaints as they arise. Depending on the nature of the complaint and any advice received from our medical indemnity insurers where required, complaints are recorded and actioned with a copy placed in the patient’s health record if related to patient care.
All clinical and medical staff, as well as administration staff, are aware of the professional and legal obligations regarding the mandatory reporting of unprofessional conduct.
How to complain?
Patients and others have opportunities to register their complaints either verbally, in writing (via email) or via our suggestion box. Patients or others are able to complain anonymously if desired.
All members of our practice team are educated to be prepared to address complaints as they arise.
Step 1
– Please raise your concern to the staff member or the clinician helping you so they can address your concern (in most cases)
Step 2
– If you are unhappy with the response recieved from the staff member or the clinician please ask to speak to the Practice Manager or leave your phone number so the practice manager or asst practice manager or practice principal can call you back. We attempt to call within 3 business days.
Step 3
– If you are unhappy with the response recieved from the practice management team please send an email with as many details as possible to info@palmersmedical.com.au
– We will confirm within 3 days the receipt of your email and will endeavour to provide a written response within a week.
– During the process of providing response, the practice management team may contact you via phone, will contact the relevant staff member or clinician to understand the concerns raised, review the background information and look at possible ways to resolve the issue raised.
Step 4
– If you are unhappy with the written response recieved from the practice you can contact the external health complaints agency for our State of Victoria below.
The Office of the Health Complaints Commissioner (HCC)
570 Bourke Street,
Melbourne, VIC – 3000
Call : 1300 582 113
Or go to https://hcc.vic.gov.au/