Resolution and advocacy: essential partners in the management of aged care complaints

This submission is made in response to Department of Health Care and Ageing’s Discussion Paper: Aged Care Complaints Scheme: Proposed Complaints Management Framework.

The submission examines the aged care complaints scheme using a set of principles that aim to create a fair and transparent complaints process for consumers. The recommendations consider the process and how it can be made more accountable, the importance of independent decision making, providing a decision that is timely, and how that decision is communicated. It also considers an appropriate review process, particularly given the vulnerability of family members who often make complaints on behalf of an aged relative. The quality of the process is also considered with recommendations about the expertise that is required to investigate complaints and how consumer advocates can improve the process and protect complainants.