Feedback and complaints in North and West Metropolitan Region

Performance and Quality

The Performance and Quality Unit is responsible for the independent management of Complaint, Freedom of Information requests and Privacy Advice within the North and West Metropolitan Region.

The Department of Human Services provides a range of services to people throughout Victoria. The Department aims to enhance and protect the health and wellbeing of all Victorians, in particular, vulnerable groups and those most in need. The Department, its programs and staff endeavour to provide a high quality service.

You may wish to provide feedback or congratulations, or make a complaint about the advice, actions taken or service received by staff.

The Department of Human Services, North and West Metropolitan Region welcomes your comments and complaints as they help us to improve our work for the community of Victoria.

Your Feedback

If you would like to congratulate the Department or make comment about the service provided by any program or from a staff member of the Department of Human Services, North and West Metropolitan Region you can ring or write to the Performance and Quality Unit.

You can complain about a service provided by any program or from a staff member of the Department of Human Services, North and West Metropolitan Region, if you believe they:

Failed to provide satisfactory care
Failed to provide enough information or denied you the right to choose
Denied your respect, dignity or privacy
Have been negligent or unprofessional, or
Caused you concern for any other reason

At times, you may not be satisfied with a decision made by the Department. The Performance and Quality Unit provides you with an avenue for having your concerns looked at if you are dissatisfied.

Who can Complain?

You can make a complaint about a service if you are a client of a service, a friend, relative or guardian of a client, a service provider or anyone with a legitimate interest in the issue. Wherever possible, you should try to resolve the complaints directly with the staff you have been dealing with.

If the complaint is not resolved, you should ask to speak to the Manager, or you may want to contact the Performance and Quality Unit who will be able to assist you with your complaint.

Your complaint information is used to investigate and hopefully resolve your matter and that may involve sharing the information with other relevant areas in the department.

Statistical information regarding complaints is also used to improve the department's services, better understand community needs and respond more positively to complaints or suggestions.

The use of this information for these purposes is carefully controlled to ensure that it is done in accordance with the Information Privacy Act and the Health Records Act.

The Performance and Quality Unit will:

Listen to you
Give you information
Help you take your complaint to the relevant program area
Refer your complaint to external agencies for further action if necessary
Put you in touch with other people who can help you if needed.
Be available as a single point of contact within the region in relation to complaints management
Assist you in navigating your complaint through the process.

Making your Complaint

If you have a complaint, you should speak to the staff member concerned or their Manager in the first instance and try to have the matter resolved.

If you are not satisfied with the outcome, you should contact the Performance and Quality Unit by telephone or in writing detailing your complaint and the outcome you are seeking.

Responding to your Complaint

You will receive an acknowledgement within three working days of receipt of your complaint, telling you who is dealing with it. A fully reply will follow within 21 days, advising you of the outcome or of any delays.

Your complaint will be investigated by a Manager who has not been directly involved in the issue you are concerned about. While your complaint is investigated, you can expect:

To be informed of the progress
To be treated with respect
A reply to your complaint within 21 days

The areas that you can make feedback, congratulations or complaints about are:

Services received directly from the Department of Human Services or its funded agencies
Programs managed by the Department of Human Services
Behaviour of staff within the Department of Human Services, North and West Metropolitan Region or its funded agencies.

Privacy

Consistent with Victorian Government policy and legislation, the Department of Human Services endorses fair information handling practices and uses of information in compliance with its obligations under the Information Privacy Act 2000 (Vic) and the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic). Any information provided, including identification of individuals, will be used only for the purpose/s intended and where the intention includes confidentiality, information will be treated as such unless otherwise required by law.

For further information please see link below: Department of Human Services Privacy Statement