How to Make a Complaint About Aged Care in Australia — A Complete Guide for Families
If something doesn’t feel right about the aged care being provided to someone you love — you have the right to say so. Not just the right — in many cases, the responsibility. Complaints are how problems get fixed, how standards improve, and how future residents are protected from the same issues. This guide explains exactly how to make a complaint about aged care in Australia — step by step, in plain English, with all the contact details you need.
The Most Important Thing to Know First
Making an aged care complaint is not only your right — it is a vital part of improving care quality, safety, and dignity across Australia’s aged care system.
Under the Aged Care Act 2024, it is unlawful for a provider, worker, or responsible person to treat a resident or their family differently because a complaint has been made.
This means you cannot be punished, disadvantaged, or have care quality reduced because you raised a concern. If you believe this has happened, that itself is a serious issue worth reporting immediately.
You can make a complaint anonymously, confidentially, or openly — whichever you are most comfortable with. Anyone can make a complaint, and the service is completely free.
What You Can Make a Complaint About
You have the right to make a complaint about any aspect of the care and services you receive from an Australian Government-subsidised aged care provider. You may be concerned about the quality of your care, how you are treated by staff, the accuracy of your invoices, or the choice of activities provided.
Common reasons families make complaints include:
- Quality of personal care — bathing, hygiene, grooming
- Medical care concerns — medication errors, wound management, falls
- Staff conduct — rudeness, dismissiveness, or inappropriate behaviour
- Neglect — a resident not being attended to, missing meals, poor hydration
- Safety concerns — falls risk, unexplained injuries, unsafe environments
- Financial concerns — incorrect invoices, unexplained charges, financial exploitation
- Dignity and respect — residents being spoken over, ignored, or treated without dignity
- Activities and social engagement — inadequate programs, isolation
- Communication — not being kept informed about a loved one’s health or care changes
- Accommodation and facilities — maintenance issues, cleanliness, room conditions
Who Can Make a Complaint?
Anyone can make an aged care complaint, including the older person receiving care, a family member or friend, a carer or support person, an aged care worker with concerns about a resident’s safety, or any member of the community with genuine concerns.
You do not need to be the person receiving care to make a complaint. You do not need to have spoken to the provider first. And you do not need to identify yourself if you don’t want to.
The Step by Step Complaints Process
Step 1 — Prepare Your Complaint
Before raising a concern — whether with the provider or directly with the regulator — taking a few minutes to prepare makes the process significantly more effective.
What to document:
Describe exactly what happened and why it matters. Avoid emotional language — focus on details. Written records help ensure accuracy.
Specifically record:
- What happened — as specifically and factually as possible
- When it happened — dates and times
- Who was involved — staff names or descriptions if known
- How it affected your loved one
- Any witnesses who observed what happened
- Any previous attempts to raise the concern and how they were handled
- What outcome you are seeking
Why this matters: Writing down all your concerns can help you put the information together in a logical way. This makes it easier for the provider or the Commission to understand what’s happened. It also gives you a written record of your concerns.
Step 2 — Raise It With the Provider First (If You Feel Safe Doing So)
In most situations it’s best to raise your concern directly with the care provider. This could be a nurse, carer, manager, or the service’s complaints officer. Explain clearly what happened, how it affected you or your loved one, and what outcome you would like. Most providers take complaints seriously and work quickly to fix problems. Sometimes, a simple conversation is enough to resolve the issue.
How to raise it with the provider:
- Ask to speak with the facility manager or care coordinator
- Explain your concern calmly and specifically — using the factual record you prepared
- State clearly what outcome you are hoping for
- Ask for a written response confirming what action will be taken and by when
- Keep a record of the conversation — who you spoke to, what was said, and what was agreed
You are not required to raise it with the provider first: You can contact the Aged Care Complaints Commissioner even if you haven’t spoken with the provider first. If you feel unsafe raising the concern directly — if you fear retaliation against your loved one, or if the issue involves serious neglect or abuse — go directly to the Commission.
Provider response timeframes: If the complaint cannot be resolved within 21 working days, the provider must let you know how long the process will take and continue to keep you informed.
Step 3 — Escalate to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission
If the provider doesn’t resolve your concern satisfactorily — or if you chose to bypass the provider entirely — the next step is the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.
You have a right to make a complaint about an aged care provider, worker, or responsible person. Making a complaint can improve your quality of care and help other people with the same problem. You can make a confidential or anonymous complaint. You can choose to make a complaint online, by phone, or in writing.
How to contact the Commission:
- Phone: 1800 951 822 (free call, Monday to Friday 9am-5pm)
- Online: agedcarequality.gov.au — use the online complaint webform
- In writing: Post to Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, GPO Box 9819, in your capital city
What the Commission needs from you: The name of the provider, worker, or responsible person the complaint is about, the service name and state or territory where it’s located, and the name of the older person the complaint relates to.
What happens after you lodge a complaint:
After reviewing your complaint, the Commission may take steps such as helping resolve the issue between you and the provider through mediation, requesting the provider to make changes or improvements, monitoring the provider for compliance with care standards, or undertaking a formal investigation in serious cases. You will be informed of the process and outcomes.
The new Independent Complaints Commissioner:
One of the most significant changes introduced under the new Aged Care Act 2024 is the appointment of an independent Aged Care Complaints Commissioner — currently Treasure Jennings — who is separate from the Commission’s regulatory and enforcement functions. This role was specifically established to improve the independence, transparency, and accountability of the aged care complaints process. The Commissioner has the power to issue registered providers with a Required Action Notice, compelling specific improvements.
Step 4 — Access Free Independent Advocacy Support
At any point in this process — before, during, or after — you can access free, independent advocacy support.
OPAN — the Older Persons Advocacy Network — is funded by the Australian Government and delivers the National Aged Care Advocacy Program through a network of organisations in every state and territory. OPAN’s Aged Care Advocacy Line is available Monday to Friday 8am–8pm and Saturday 10am–4pm. Call 1800 700 600. The service is completely free and confidential.
What an OPAN advocate can do for you:
- Help you understand your rights under the new Aged Care Act 2024
- Help you prepare your concern clearly and effectively
- Accompany you to meetings with providers if needed
- Support you through the formal complaint process with the Commission
- Help protect your loved one’s ongoing relationship with the service while the complaint is being resolved
Don’t underestimate the value of an advocate. Many families find that having an independent, experienced advocate alongside them transforms a process that felt overwhelming into one that is manageable and effective.
Step 5 — Escalate Further If Needed
If the Commission’s complaints process doesn’t resolve your concern satisfactorily, further escalation options are available.
The Commonwealth Ombudsman For complaints about how the Commission itself has handled your complaint — contact the Commonwealth Ombudsman on 1300 362 072 or ombudsman.gov.au.
Legal advice For serious matters involving financial abuse, significant neglect, or situations where legal action may be necessary — a lawyer specialising in elder law can advise on your options. Services like Seniors Rights Victoria (1300 368 821) and similar organisations in other states provide free or low-cost legal advice specifically for older Australians.
State and territory health complaints bodies For complaints involving individual health professionals — doctors, nurses, or allied health workers — rather than the aged care provider as an organisation, the relevant state health complaints body is the appropriate avenue:
| State/Territory | Body | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | Health Care Complaints Commission | 1800 043 159 |
| VIC | Health Complaints Commissioner | 1300 582 113 |
| QLD | Office of the Health Ombudsman | 133 646 |
| SA | Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner | 1800 232 007 |
| WA | Health and Disability Services Complaints Office | 1800 813 583 |
| TAS | Health Complaints Commissioner | 1800 001 170 |
| ACT | Health Services Commissioner | 02 6205 2222 |
| NT | Health and Community Services Complaints Commission | 1800 004 474 |
Special Circumstances Worth Knowing About
If There Is an Immediate Safety Risk
If you believe someone is in immediate danger — call 000. Do not wait for a complaint process.
If the situation is serious but not an immediate emergency — contact the Commission immediately on 1800 951 822 and make clear that the situation involves an urgent safety concern. The Commission can take urgent action in serious cases.
If You Are an Aged Care Worker
The Commission treats all complaints and feedback received as though they qualify for whistleblower protections under the Aged Care Act. To find out more about whistleblower protections, see the Commission’s Managing Whistleblower Disclosures Policy.
Aged care workers who have genuine concerns about the safety or wellbeing of residents are encouraged and protected in raising those concerns — either with the provider or directly with the Commission.
If Your Loved One Doesn’t Want You to Complain
This is a genuinely difficult situation many families face — a resident who is afraid that complaining will affect their care, or who simply doesn’t want to make waves.
The honest reality is that under the new Act, providers are legally prohibited from retaliating against residents or families for making complaints. If your loved one genuinely has safety concerns but is afraid to raise them — an OPAN advocate can help navigate the situation sensitively and confidentially.
If You Don’t Speak English
If you need an interpreter, you can ask the Commission to arrange one when you call. Or you can contact the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450 and ask them to help you contact the Commission.
What Happens to the Provider After a Complaint
Many families wonder whether making a complaint actually changes anything — or whether the provider simply gets away with it.
The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, through its Complaints Commissioner, can receive complaints about aged care service providers and investigate their compliance with aged care legislation, including the Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards, the Statement of Rights, and the Aged Care Code of Conduct.
Depending on the severity of the complaint and findings, the Commission can:
- Require the provider to take specific corrective action through a Required Action Notice
- Monitor the provider’s compliance over time
- Conduct a formal investigation
- Impose sanctions including suspending or cancelling a provider’s registration in serious cases
- Publish compliance information publicly on the My Aged Care website
The broader impact of your complaint: Every complaint that is lodged contributes to the Commission’s picture of a provider’s performance over time. A single complaint may not result in immediate action — but a pattern of complaints about the same provider is taken seriously and can trigger formal investigation and sanction.
A Note on Timing — Don’t Wait
Early reporting prevents problems from growing or becoming patterns.
One of the most consistent findings in aged care quality research is that problems which are raised early are far easier to resolve than those that are allowed to escalate. What starts as a concern about personal care quality can become a serious safety issue if left unaddressed.
If something doesn’t feel right — raise it. You don’t need to be certain. You don’t need to have all the facts. You don’t need to have a formal complaint ready. You can simply call 1800 951 822 and describe what you’ve observed. The Commission can help you work out what to do from there.
Key Contacts at a Glance
| Organisation | Phone | What They Do |
|---|---|---|
| Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission | 1800 951 822 | Complaints about providers |
| OPAN — Older Persons Advocacy Network | 1800 700 600 | Free independent advocacy |
| My Aged Care | 1800 200 422 | General aged care information |
| Services Australia | 13 27 17 | Financial and payment concerns |
| Commonwealth Ombudsman | 1300 362 072 | Complaints about the Commission |
| Translating and Interpreting Service | 131 450 | Language assistance |
The Bottom Line
Making a complaint about aged care is not disloyalty. It is not being difficult. It is not making things worse.
It is exercising a legal right that exists specifically to protect the people we love — and to improve care for every older Australian who comes after them.
Silence allows problems to continue. Speaking up helps create safer, more respectful care environments.
If something doesn’t feel right — say so. The system exists to hear you.
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