What is a Direction of the Aged Care
Complaints Scheme?
This fact sheet explains what a Direction is and when a
Direction can be issued to a service provider.
The Aged Care Complaints Scheme (the Scheme) provides a free service
for anyone to raise their concerns about the quality of care or services
being delivered to people receiving aged care services subsidised by the
Australian Government, including residential care, Home Care Packages
and Commonwealth HACC services.
We examine complaints relating to a service provider’s responsibilities
under the Aged Care Act 1997 (the Act) and the Aged Care funding
agreement for Commonwealth HACC service providers.
We encourage and support people to raise their concern with the service
provider rst because this can achieve a fast and sustainable outcome.
If that approach is not possible, we can examine a person’s concern.
Approaches range from those that are simple, relatively quick and
informal, to more formal and lengthy processes.
Aged care providers who receive funding from the Australian Government
are called ‘service providers’. A ‘complainant’ is the person who lodges a
complaint with the Scheme. These terms are used throughout this fact sheet.
What is a Direction?
If we are not satised that a service provider is meeting its responsibilities
under the Act or its Commonwealth funding agreement, in regards to a
complainant’s concerns, we can issue a Direction.
A Direction requires the service provider to demonstrate how they
have met or will meet their responsibilities under the Act or under their
Commonwealth funding agreement.
We may inform the service provider of our intention to issue a Direction.
This allows the service provider to:
• outline how they have already addressed the issues (in which case
we may nalise the complaint and decide not to issue a Direction)
A Direction is
an opportunity for
the service provider
to show how they
have met their
responsibilities under
the Act or under
the Commonwealth
funding agreement.
Aged Care
Complaints
Scheme
Phone 1800 550 552*
Write
Aged Care
Complaints Scheme
Department of
Social Services
GPO Box 9820
In your capital city
Online
agedcarecomplaints.
govspace.gov.au
All information in this
publication is correct
as of June 2014.
DSS12894.1402 June 2014
* 1800 calls are free from xed
lines; however calls from
mobiles may be charged.
• take immediate steps to address the issues and meet their responsibilities.
A Direction is an opportunity for the service provider to show how they
have met their responsibilities under the Act or their Commonwealth
funding agreement.
If the service provider takes immediate steps after we tell them that we
intend to issue a Direction, we may take no further action.
If the service provider proposes to take action or does not respond within
the required timeframes, we will issue the Direction. We will then monitor
the Direction to ensure the service provider implements the actions they or
we have outlined.
Issuing a Direction
A Direction is issued in writing and outlines what the service provider must
do, in what timeframes, to address the issues of the complainant and
meet their responsibilities.
We will monitor and enforce the Direction to ensure the service provider
implements the required actions.
A Direction is not a Notice of Non-Compliance. We may refer a matter to
the Department of Social Services’ compliance area for compliance action
if we are concerned the service provider has not complied with or is not
complying with its responsibilities under Parts 4.1 to 4.3 of the Act or
a service provider’s funding agreement with the Commonwealth.
Your review rights
The ability to seek a review helps us to address any concerns you
may have about our work. Your feedback also helps to improve the
administration of the Scheme. We encourage you to contact us if you
are not satised at any stage of the complaint or would like to provide
feedback. Call 1800 550 552* and ask to speak to the complaints
manager in your state or territory.
You can ask the Aged Care Commissioner (the Commissioner) to
examine our process for handling your complaint (within 12 months of
completion of the process) or examine our decision (within 28 days of
receiving our letter outlining this decision). To nd out more or to lodge
a request, call 1800 500 294* or visit the Commissioner’s website at
agedcarecommissioner.net.au
