Handling professional conduct complaints against doctors
Monday, 29 June 2015
Avant assists doctors in responding to patient complaints throughout Australia.
There are key features that Avant believes a regulatory complaints system should have to further engender the confidence of medical practitioners and consumers alike.
Avant’s position
Download a copy of the complaints handling position paper
Avant supports:
- a nationally consistent approach to complaints handling, not only in terms of process but also in terms of outcomes
- a responsive, risk-based approach to managing complaints against medical practitioners
- effective, fair and transparent management of complaints including:
- appropriate triaging of complaints, especially those that are minor or vexatious
- use of transparent performance indicators relating to timeliness in the management of complaints
- parity in timeframes so that practitioners are able to have sufficient and equivalent time to respond to regulators’ requests
- the provision of relevant information throughout the life cycle of a complaint, to allow the practitioner to respond and stay informed
- access to appropriate clinical input and peer review of complaints to provide professional and clinical guidance to inform regulatory decision-making
- the ability to enter into alternative dispute resolution, where appropriate.
For questions and comments, please contact: advocacy@avant.org.au
Key submissions
Avant’s submission to the Review of the National Registration and Accreditation SchemePDF, 1 MB
Avant’s submissions to the Queensland Health and Community Services with respect to the Health Ombudsman Bill 2013PDF, 574 KB
Avant’s submissions to the Queensland Minister for Health with respect to the review into the Performance of the QBMBA, MBA and AHPRAPDF, 392 KB
Avant’s submissions to the Victorian Legal and Social Issues Committee Inquiry into the Performance of AHPRA.PDF, 276 KB
Other resources
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