Complaints

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If you have concerns about any aspect of your aged care experience (or a loved one's), it’s important you raise them.

There are different ways to make a complaint, depending on what your concern is.

Plants

How do I make a complaint?

To quickly find the right complaints process for your concern, use the Contact us tool. Or you can browse through the types of complaints below.

I have concerns about My Aged Care

You have the right to provide feedback or make complaints about the information, service, or care you receive from My Aged Care.

  1. First contact My Aged Care
    Call My Aged Care to discuss your concerns and ask for their help. If your concern is not resolved on the call, you will be given a complaint reference number to track the progress of your complaint. Use this reference number for any future communication with My Aged Care. 

    Contact options for lodging a complaint:
    For complaints sent online, by fax or post, you should receive an acknowledgement from My Aged Care within 10 business days, along with your complaint reference number.
     
  2. Not satisfied with the outcome?
    If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, send an email with the details of your complaint and reference number to myagedcaresupport@healthdirect.org.au.

I have concerns about my home support assessment (RAS) 

You have the right to express your concerns about your home support assessment experience, including the outcome of your assessment decision. 

  1. First contact your RAS assessor
    Contact your RAS assessor or organisation to discuss your concerns and ask for their help to resolve the issue. They will have their own complaint process you will need to follow. If you don’t know their contact details, My Aged Care can give them to you.
     
  2. Not satisfied with the outcome? 
    If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422.

I have concerns about my comprehensive assessment (ACAT) 

You have the right to express your concerns about your experience of the comprehensive assessment process.

  1. First contact your ACAT assessor
    Contact your ACAT assessor or organisation to discuss your concerns and ask for their help to resolve the issue. They will have their own complaint process you will need to follow. If you don’t know their contact details, My Aged Care can give them to you.
     
  2. Not satisfied with the outcome? 
    If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, ask them to give you the contact details of your state or territory government department manager.

I don’t agree with my comprehensive assessment (ACAT) decision

You have the right to challenge the assessment decision outlined in your approval letter.

  1. First contact your ACAT assessor
    If you do not agree with the ACAT assessment outcome, or you want to discuss any issues about the decision, contact your ACAT assessor or organisation.
     
  2. Not satisfied? Ask for a review of the decision (free of charge)
    If you are still not satisfied, you can ask for a review of the decision free of charge by writing to the Secretary of the Australian Government Department of Health. In your letter, outline why you think the decision should be changed. Your letter must be sent to the Secretary within 28 days of receiving your approval letter.

    Postal address: 
    The Secretary
    Department of Health
    Attn: Aged Care Assessment Program Reconsiderations
    GPO Box 9848
    ADELAIDE SA 5001
     
  3. Not satisfied? Ask for a second review of the decision (there will be a charge)
    If you don’t agree with the outcome of the Secretary’s review, you can go to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, but there will be a charge. Find out more on the Administrative Appeals Tribunal website.

I have concerns about my service provider 

You have the right to make a complaint about any aspect of the care and services you receive from an Australian Government-subsidised service provider. 

  1. First contact your service provider
    Whether you’re concerned about the quality of your care, how you are treated by staff, the accuracy of your invoices or the choice of activities provided by your aged care provider, the first step, if you feel comfortable, is to contact your service provider directly. Discuss your concerns with them to see if they can help resolve your issue. Every service provider has their own complaint process to follow.
     
  2. Not satisfied with the outcome?
    If you’re not satisfied with your service provider’s response, you can make a complaint to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission online or by calling 1800 951 822. Anyone can make a complaint and the service is free. You can complain anonymously, confidentially or openly. You can contact the Commission even if you haven’t spoken with your provider first.

I have concerns about elder abuse 

Call the national 1800 ELDERHelp (1800 353 374) line (freecall) to talk to someone about potential or actual elder abuse. This service provides information on how you can get help, support and referrals. Each state and territory provides information about abuse and abuse prevention, as well as useful contacts and options for getting help:
 

State/territory Organisation or resource Contact
Australian Capital Territory Older Persons Abuse Prevention Referral and Information Line (APRIL) 02 6205 3535
New South Wales NSW Elder Abuse Helpline 1800 628 221
Northern Territory Elder Abuse Information Line 1800 037 072
Queensland Elder Abuse Prevention Unit 1300 651 192
South Australia Aged Rights Advocacy Service
Elder Abuse Phoneline		 08 8232 5377
1800 700 600
Tasmania Tasmanian Elder Abuse Helpline 1800 441 169
Victoria Seniors Rights Victoria 1300 368 821
Western Australia Elder Abuse Helpline 1300 724 679

Getting help to make a complaint

The Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) 

The Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) provides support to help resolve concerns and complaints on your behalf. They also provide support for people experiencing elder abuse. This help is free, independent, and confidential.
 
Read more on our Advocacy page.

Visual guide

Download or print the quick visual guide on how to make a complaint about My Aged Care, your assessment, or your service provider. 

Other ways to escalate your complaint 

Commonwealth Ombudsman

If you are still not satisfied with the outcome or the handling of your complaint after following the relevant complaint process, you can contact the Commonwealth Ombudsman. 

Visit the website for more information or call 1300 362 072.

Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC)

If you have concerns about the financial management of your aged care home, you can contact ASIC. ASIC has the power to investigate the financial operations of aged care operators.

Visit the website for more information or call ASIC’s Customer Contact Centre on 1300 300 630.