Western Health is committed to providing the Best Care possible to our patients and community. Complaints are valuable feedback, providing us an opportunity to learn how we could be doing things better for our community.
If you come to us with a complaint you will be treated respectfully and we will work with you to resolve the matter as best we can.
How to lodge a complaint
Talk to the staff caring for you or your family member. This is often the quickest and easiest way to resolve your concerns. If you don’t feel comfortable talking directly with the staff member caring for you or your family member, the Nurse in Charge, or the manager of the area, will listen to your concerns.
If, after speaking with staff, you are not satisfied or would feel more comfortable talking to someone else, please contact the Patient Representative Team with details listed below on this page.
Fill out a feedback form online and select “Complaint” from the drop down box options. If you prefer a paper form, please ask a staff member to provide you with a paper feedback form or you can collect one from our patient information areas located near reception at each of our sites.
Complaints can be made anonymously by specifying this on the feedback form. However, this may limit our ability to investigate your concerns fully and you won’t receive updates on the progress of your complaint.
If you are lodging a complaint on someone else’s behalf, Western Health will need to get permission from them to speak with you about the complaint. Often we will like to speak with the person directly to assist with resolving the matter.
Help lodging your complaint
Tips for lodging a complaint
Most complaints, issues or concerns can be addressed by speaking directly with the staff where the issue has taken place. However, if the issue is complex or serious, you should make your complaint in writing using our feedback form online.
Be clear about what went wrong, who was involved and when it happened.
Be clear about what solution you are seeking.
Tell us how you would best like us to respond to you (e.g. phone call, email, in writing, family meeting).
Be calm and respectful.
We understand that sometimes issues can be distressing for you and will do our best to support you. Our staff reserve the right to terminate phone calls and the feedback process should abusive or threatening language be used.
Once we have acknowledged that we have received your complaint, allow us time to review the matter, investigate and respond to you. We aim to have most complaints addressed within 35 days, however, more complex issues can take us up to three months to provide you feedback.
For more information or for help filling in the online form, please call and leave a message for the Patient Representative Team at 1800 319 631 between 9am and 3pm, Monday to Friday.
Provide feedback in another language
You can request an interpreter and speak to the staff caring for you about your feedback
Write to us in your own language. We will have your feedback translated, and it will be managed according to our standard processes.
You can also contact the Patient Representative Team with the details listed below and request for an interpreter to be made available for you to provide feedback
National Relay Service
If you are Deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired, contact us via the National Relay Service.
The Patient Representative Team
If you feel your concerns were not resolved, and you would like further help, please contact the Patient Representative Team, through one of the following methods
Online: Feedback Form
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: Leave a message via 1 800 319 631
Mail: Patient Representatives, Sunshine Hospital, 176 Furlong Road, St Albans 3021
The Patient Representative Team is staffed weekdays from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. Please note the phone number is not staffed, but messages will be checked regularly during the team’s business hours. The Patient Representative Team will return your call as soon as possible.
Due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic, the Patient Representative Team is operating with some remote staffing arrangements but we do remain open.
We appreciate your patience in these uncertain times. To limit delays in returning telephone calls, we ask that you continue to contact us via the feedback form or email [email protected].
What happens with my feedback?
Your feedback will be directed to the most appropriate person for information, follow up or investigation. If you have requested a response to your complaint, a Western Health employee will contact you via your preferred method.
We will endeavour to acknowledge all feedback within 3 business days, however due to an increase in feedback, it may take us longer to get back to you.
Western Health aims to provide you with a resolution within 35 days, however, we always try to respond as quickly as possible. Please note, our timeframe for response can vary based on the complexity of the issues you’ve raised and level of investigation required. In some cases it can take us up to three months to respond as we often interview staff, review medical records and gather information to understand the issue in detail.
Any information collected in the course of the review of your complaint will remain confidential and not be noted in your medical record. This means that when you or your loved one come to Western Health, staff caring for you will not be able to see that you have made a complaint about our service. We tell you this to provide you reassurance that if you lodge a complaint at Western Health, it will not negatively impact the care that you receive from us.
If you any stage throughout the complaints process you wish to revoke your consent for the investigation you may do so by providing this in writing to [email protected].
What if I am unhappy with the response received from Western Health?
If you are not satisfied with our service, please contact the Patient Representative Team. We take complaints seriously and aim to resolve them quickly and fairly.
If you remain dissatisfied with our response, you may contact the Health Complaints Commissioner (HCC). The HCC responds to complaints about health services and the handling of health information in Victoria. Their service is free, confidential and impartial.
To lodge a complaint with the HCC:
Fill out a complaint form online at hcc.vic.gov.au or Phone 1300 582 113 between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday to discuss your complaint.
How do I provide feedback about the Patient Representative Team and Feedback process?
We would like to know how we are going with managing complaints. If you would like to provide some anonymous feedback about our Patient Representative Team or complaints process please complete a Complaint Process Feedback form.