HEALTH AND DISABILITY SERVICES (COMPLAINTS) ACT 1995

Table of Provisions

• Long Title

PART 1 -- Preliminary  

• 1 Short title
 
• 2 Commencement
 
• 3A Act to be read with other legislation about health and disability complaints
 
• 3 Terms used
 
• 4 Guiding principles for the provision of health services
 
• 5 Crown bound

PART 2 -- Administrative arrangements  

• 6 Health and Disability Services Complaints Office
 
• 7 Director of Office
 
• 8 Tenure, salary etc. of Director
 
• 9 Judicial notice of Director’s appointment and signature
 
• 10 Director’s functions
 
• 11 Minister may give Director directions
 
• 12 Minister to have access to information
 
• 13 Financial provisions
 
• 14 Staff
 
• 15 Consultants
 
• 16 Use of other government staff etc.
 
• 17 Oath of office by Director and staff
 
• 17A Identity cards
 
• 18 Delegation by Director

PART 3 -- Complaints generally

Division 1 -- Right to complain conferred  

• 19 Who may complain
 
• 20 Representatives of users
 
• 21 Representative not to be paid
 
• 22 Provider may complain for user
 
• 23 Complaints to public providers, referral under administrative instructions
 
• 24 Time limit for complaints
 
• 25 What complaints can be about
 
• 26 Complaints that must be rejected

Division 2 -- Initial procedures  

• 27 How to complain
 
• 28 Referral of complaint where Act inapplicable
 
• 29 Withdrawal of complaint
 
• 30 User or carer must try to resolve matter
 
• 31 Complaints not dealt with by National Board under Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (Western Australia)
 
• 32A Notice that complaint being dealt with by National Board
 
• 32 Referral to other bodies
 
• 33 Director’s duties if complaint referred under s.
 
• 34 Preliminary assessment by Director
 
• 35 Notice to provider and others
 
• 36A Response by provider
 
• 36BA Protection of provider’s statements

PART 3A -- Settlement and conciliation of certain complaints

Division 1 -- Negotiated settlement  

• 36B Resolving complaints by negotiation
 
• 36C Protection of statements made

Division 2 -- Conciliation  

• 36 Assignment of conciliator
 
• 37 Notice of referral for conciliation
 
• 38 Role of conciliator
 
• 39 Representation in conciliation process
 
• 40 Reports by conciliator
 
• 41 Parties may resolve complaint
 
• 42 Protection of statements made
 
• 43 Director’s duties after conciliator’s recommendation

PART 3B -- Investigations generally  

• 44 Notice of investigation by Director
 
• 44A Director may conduct Director-initiated investigation
 
• 45 Further power to investigate
 
• 47 Conciliator must not investigate
 
• 48 Purpose of investigation, and procedure

PART 3C -- Remedial action  

• 50 Remedial action where complaint justified
 
• 51 Provider must report on remedial action
 
• 52A Report to Parliament if report not made under s. 51 or remedial action not taken

PART 3D -- Interim prohibition orders, prohibition orders and interstate orders

Division 1 -- Interim prohibition orders  

• 52B Director may make interim prohibition order
 
• 52C Notice of interim prohibition order
 
• 52D When interim prohibition order takes effect
 
• 52E Variation of interim prohibition order
 
• 52F Revocation of interim prohibition order
 
• 52G Offence for failure to comply with interim prohibition order

Division 2 -- Prohibition orders  

• 52H Director may make prohibition order
 
• 52I Show cause process for prohibition orders
 
• 52J Notice of prohibition order
 
• 52K When prohibition order takes effect
 
• 52L Variation of prohibition order
 
• 52M Revocation of prohibition order
 
• 52N Offence for failure to comply with prohibition order

Division 3 -- Publication of information about orders  

• 52O Publication of information about interim prohibition orders and prohibition orders

Division 4 -- Review by State Administrative Tribunal  

• 52P Review of decisions to make interim prohibition orders and prohibition orders

Division 5 -- Interstate orders  

• 52Q Offence for failure to comply with interstate order

PART 3E -- Public health warning statements relating to health care workers  

• 52R Public health warning statements
 
• 52S Revoking public health warning statements
 
• 52T Correcting public health warning statements
 
• 52U Review of decision to publish public health warning statement

PART 3F -- Miscellaneous provisions relating to complaints, investigations and reports to Parliament  

• 52 Director to stop proceedings in some cases
 
• 56 Reports to, and at request of, Parliament
 
• 57 Action if a House not sitting
 
• 58 Saving

PART 4 -- Director’s powers to obtain information and entry to premises  

• 59 Restriction on powers
 
• 60 Power to summons and related powers
 
• 61 False statements
 
• 62 Failure to comply with notice or direction given under s.
 
• 63 Application for warrant to enter premises etc.
 
• 64 Issue of warrant
 
• 65 Execution of warrant
 
• 66 Offences relating to warrants
 
• 67 Information etc. that may be withheld

PART 5 -- General  

• 68 Register of complaints
 
• 68A Disclosure of information to other Commonwealth, State or Territory entities
 
• 68B Disclosure to protect health or safety of users and other persons
 
• 69 Protection of Director etc. from personal liability
 
• 70 Protection of other persons
 
• 71 Confidentiality
 
• 71A Criminal record checks
 
• 72 False statements
 
• 73 Person not to be threatened etc. because of complaining to Director
 
• 74 Application of Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1971
 
• 75 Prescribed provider must give certain information
 
• 76 Prosecutions
 
• 77 Regulations
 
• 77A Codes of conduct
 
• 78 Transitional provision
 
• 79 Review of Act
 
• 79A Review of amendments made by Health and Disability Services (Complaints) Amendment Act 2022
 
• 80 Transitional provisions
• SCHEDULE 2 -- Tenure, salary, conditions of service, etc., of Director