ACT Human Rights Commission complaints about health services rise by 70 per cent over four years

The commission's annual report showed there were 775 health service complaints received in the last financial year.

One-third of those complaints related to treatment. A large number of complaints were also raised about professional conduct, communication from practitioners about consent and medication.

More than half of the complaints - 419 - were about an individual practitioner. There were 200 complaints received about the public health services, 73 complaints about general practice and 12 complaints about private hospitals.

The commission finalised 725 health service complaints. The most common outcomes for the complaints were that an explanation was provided, there was an apology, a review or change was made to a policy or regulatory action was taken against a registered health practitioner.

The report outlined a circumstance where a woman had to have an emergency hip replacement after a fracture was misdiagnosed as vaccine-related synovitis and arthritis.

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The woman had complained to the commission and, consequently, the hospital acknowledged other potential causes for the pain should have been explored. The hospital reimbursed her for her medical expenses.

The commission's annual report said the 775 complaints were an increase of 21 per cent on the previous year and a 72 per cent increase on the 2018-19 financial year.

Altogether, the commission received complaints from more than 1100 Canberrans over the last financial year.

There were 284 discrimination complaints, a 30 per cent increase on the previous year.

The majority of the discrimination complaints were about disability at 158. This was followed by complaints about racial discrimination with 58 received by the commission.

The commission provided services to more than 3000 victims of crime and 574 victims applied for financial assistance.

ACT Human Rights Commissioner Helen Watchirs said for the fourth year in a row community demand for support for victims of crime had increased.

"The commission also worked with thousands of victims of crime over the year, operating as a one-stop shop and providing support, advocacy and financial assistance," she said.

In the report's foreword, Dr Watchirs said casework for the commission was becoming increasingly complex.

"Casework is still increasing in volume and complexity, especially for people experiencing vulnerability with rising mental health and disability issues which have been exacerbated by COVID," she said.

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