The relationship between the Health Complaints Commissioner and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) is governed both by national law and by the Health Complaints Act 1995 (Tas).
If your complaint relates to a registered health practitioner’s conduct or performance, we must tell the relevant national health registration board (through Ahpra) as soon as possible. We must give the national board a copy of the complaint and other information.
We then work out with the national board and Ahpra whether your complaint should be dealt with by us or by the board.
What is Ahpra?
Ahpra is the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.
You can complain to either Ahpra or the Health Complaints Commissioner about a registered health practitioner.
When we receive a complaint about a registered health practitioner, we must tell Ahpra.
Registered health practitioners are the practitioners who are registered by a relevant board so they can practise their profession in Australia.
There are currently 15 national boards.
The main role of the national boards is to protect the public. Registering practitioners and students is an important part of this role.
Sometimes when we notify Ahpra about a complaint, Ahpra may decide to manage part of the complaint or all of the complaint.
The national board will act to protect the public if:
- a practitioner’s behaviour is placing the public at risk
- a practitioner is practising their profession in an unsafe way
- the health of a practitioner might affect their ability to make safe judgements about their patients.
We will tell you if we notify Ahpra about your complaint and what decision is made about how your complaint will be managed.