Feedback at Western Health

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 nominated preferred method. 

Feedback is processed and managed in a timely manner; we will endeavour to acknowledge all feedback within 3 business days.  Western Health aims to provide you with a resolution within 30 business days, however, we always try to respond as quickly as possible. Please note our response times can vary based on the complexity of the issues raised and if our response is being delayed, our team will communicate this to you via email or phone. 

Western Health respects the privacy and confidentiality of consumers and the information received during the complaints process, while at the same time making decisions open and accountable: 

• All complaints are handled according to the requirements of the Health Records Act 2001 and Information Privacy Act 2000.
• Information gathered during the complaints process is only used to deal with and resolve the complaint, or to address broader issues arising from the complaint.
• Complaint information is shared with staff only on a ‘need-to-know’ basis.
• the details of your complaint are not included on your medical record
• it will not affect your care or treatment in the hospital
• the issues are not discussed with anyone except the relevant staff
• you will not be punished in any way or made to feel unwelcome in the hospital 

All actions taken by Western Health to collect, store, use, release and destroy consumer personal and health information will comply with all relevant legislation relating to confidentiality and privacy.   

Consumer personal and health information privacy and confidentiality in Victorian public hospitals is covered by the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic) and the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic). Commonwealth privacy legislation does not apply to public hospitals. 

Privacy Statement 

You have the option of remaining anonymous and not identifying yourself when leaving Feedback, Western Health does take all feedback seriously, by remaining anonymous this can affect Western Health’s ability to fully investigate any Feedback thoroughly or to provide a response. 

You are welcome to engage with any advocacy or support services of your choice.  

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander:   

First Nations Disability Advocacy Program   
Wilim Berrbang-Aboriginal Health Unit Sunshine Hospital Phone: 8345 0952 Email: Willim.berrbang@wh.org.au  
 
 

Aged Care: 
Older Persons Advocacy Network: Phone: 1800 700 600   

Elder Rights Advocacy (Victoria) Telephone: (03) 9602 3066   Tollfree: 1800 700 600   Email: era@era.asn.au   
 

Disability:  

Advocacy - Deaf Victoria 
 

If you are Deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired, contact us via the National Relay Service.  

Advocacy Support | ADEC 

Find an Advocate – Disability Advocacy Resource Unit (DARU) 

Victorian Advocacy League for Individuals with Disability: Phone: 1800 655 570  

Western Health Disability Liaison Service Email: Disabilityliaison@wh.org.au  

If you are not satisfied with our service, please contact the Best Care Feedback Team. We take complaints seriously and aim to resolve them quickly and fairly. Any problem is usually best solved within Western Health. However, if you remain dissatisfied with the response to your complaint or want to take your concerns further, there are ways to escalate your concerns.  

Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission: To make a formal complaint please call the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission on 1800 951 822 (Free call) for all enquiries, including lodging a complaint about an aged care service provider, or on +61 2 9633 1711 if you are calling from outside Australia. Email: info@agedcarequality.gov.au 

Health Complaints Commissioner (HCC): The HCC responds to complaints about health services in Victoria. Their service is free, confidential and impartial. To lodge a complaint with the HCC, you can fill out a complaint form online via www.hcc.vic.gov.au or phone 1300 582 113. The service operates between 9:30am and 3pm on weekdays. 

Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission (MHWC): The MHWC 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 MHWC: Fill out a complaint form online via  www.mhwc.vic.gov.au or free call on 1800 246 054 between 9:30am and 3pm, Monday to Friday to discuss your complaint. 

National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS): If you are concerned regarding the care you are receiving as part of the NDIS, you can access information and make a complaint direct to the NDIS via the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission https://www.ndis.gov.au/contact/feedback-and-complaints or call 1800 800 110 

Victorian Ombudsman: Complaints about an action or decision made by a Victorian public organisation Make a complaint | Victorian Ombudsman 

Yes. To provide feedback in another language: 

• Request an interpreter and speak to your healthcare team about your feedback.
• Call Language Services on 9594 2374 to arrange to speak to the Best Care Feedback team with an interpreter during business hours.
• You may write to us via letter or email in your preferred language and we will arrange for this to be translated at no charge to you.  

If you feel that something is not ‘quite right’ and feel worried about the condition or deterioration of a loved one who is currently in hospital, we want you to let us know.  In the first instance, please speak with your nurse, midwife or doctor about your concerns.  

If you feel this has not helped, please tell the Nurse in Charge on the ward as soon as possible. Most of the time they can help resolve any problems that you have. 

If these staff are unable to help you, you can contact the Call for HELP team for further advice. The call for HELP program allows consumers, family members, and carers to directly escalate their concerns regarding consumer clinical deterioration via a clearly defined 3 step process. 

Call for HELP is NOT an escalation process for complaints or routine clinical care.  For more information, click here to learn about Call for Help.