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Complaint agencies

The list of complaint agencies outlines the various agencies that investigate complaints as well as support agencies that may help you make your complaint.

 

Queensland Human Rights Commission

Phone: 1300 130 670

Email: info@qhrc.qld.gov.au

For complaints received under the Anti-Discrimination Act 1991 including complaints of discrimination, sexual harassment, vilification, victimisation and other breaches.

Office of the Chief Psychiatrist

Phone: 1800 989 451 or 3328 9899

Email: MHA2016@health.qld.gov.au 

Contact the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist for information about the Mental Health Act 2016. Through this office, the Chief Psychiatrist can investigate serious matters concerning the administration of the Mental Health Act including the rights of patients.

Office of the Health Ombudsman

Phone: 133 OHO (133 646)

Email: complaints@oho.qld.gov.au

The Office of the Health Ombudsman is Queensland’s independent health service complaints agency. They can receive complaints about public, private and community-based health services and health service providers in Queensland.

Office of the Public Guardian community visitors

Phone:

  • 1300 653 187 for adults
  • 1800 661 533 for children and young people

Email: publicguardian@publicguardian.qld.gov.au    

Community visitors independently monitor authorised mental health services and make inquiries and lodge complaints for, or on behalf of, residents. Community visitors have the power to refer complaints to an external agency where appropriate.

Queensland Health

Phone: 13 Health (13 43 25 84)

Hospital and Health Services
Department of Health
(includes Queensland Ambulance)

Queensland Health has different mechanisms for making a complaint about their services.

If you have a complaint about a health service, hospital or facility, contact the Hospital and Health Service directly.

For complaints about a Department employee, including Queensland Ambulance Service, contact the department’s Ethical Standards Unit.

Queensland Ombudsman

Phone: 1800 068 908 or 3005 7000

For complaints about the decisions or actions of a Queensland Government agency, local council, university or TAFE.

Other agencies for information or advice

Arafmi Queensland

Phone: 1800 00 6478 or 3235 9059 or 1800 35 1881 (for regional Queensland)

Arafmi provide support for carers of people living with mental illness, including 24-hour telephone support.

Mental Health Review Tribunal

Phone: 1800 006 478 or 07 3338 8300

Email: enquiry@mhrt.qld.gov.au

The Tribunal is an independent body that protects the rights of people receiving involuntary treatment for mental illness. It provides an independent review and makes decisions about whether the treatment will be given in hospital or in the community. In making these decisions, the Tribunal must balance the rights of the patient with the rights of others and the protection of the community.

Information about the Tribunal's complaints process is available in this information sheet.

If you are unhappy with the decision of a Mental Health Review Tribunal hearing, an appeal of the decision can be lodged with the Mental Health Court by contacting the Mental Health Court Registry on (07) 3234 0703 to arrange for a Notice of Appeal form.

If you have a complaint relating to the conduct of a Tribunal hearing or a Tribunal Member, you can contact the Tribunal directly.

Legal Aid Queensland

Phone: 1300 65 11 88

Legal Aid can provide legal help to financially disadvantaged Queenslanders and have lawyers who can talk to you about how the law applies to your legal problem and what you may be able to do about it.

Queensland Advocacy for Inclusion

Phone: 07 3844 4200 or 1300 130 582

Email: qai@qai.org.au

QAI’s Mental Health Legal Service (MHLS) is a specialist legal service dedicated to providing free and independent information, advice, referrals and representation in relation to mental health law in Queensland.

Community Legal Centres Queensland

Phone: 07 3392 0092

Email: admin@communitylegalqld.org.au

Community Legal Centres Queensland (formerly QAILS) can provide assistance in finding an appropriate independent community legal centre to provide you legal advice.

LawRight

Phone: 07 3846 6317

Email: admin@lawright.org.au 

LawRight (formerly QPILCH) is an independent, not-for-profit, community-based legal organisation coordinating the provision of pro bono legal services for individuals and community groups in Queensland.

The MHLP also has a panel of trained, independent volunteers who provide assistance and advocacy to people with Involuntary Treatment Order (ITO) review hearings in the Mental Health Review Tribunal, as well as advice about issues arising under the Mental Health Act, including:

  • treatment authorities
  • ECT applications
  • examination authorities
  • other mental health law issues.

Queensland Health Victim Support Service

Phone: 1800 208 005 (free call in business hours)

Email: Victim.Support@health.qld.gov.au

The Queensland Health Victim Support Service provides support, information and counselling to victims of mentally ill offenders and their families.