Public complaints (DHW 2024-25 Annual Report)

Number of public complaints reported 

The public complaints reported are representative of SA Health which includes the Department, LHNs, and statewide services. All public complaints are reported in the Consumer Feedback module of the statewide Safety Learning System (SLS).

NB: LHN annual reports include their health services complaints.

Number of public complaints reported
Complaint categories Sub-categories Example Number of Complaints 2024-25
Professional behaviour Staff attitude Failure to demonstrate values such as empathy, respect, fairness, courtesy, extra mile; cultural competency 1224
Professional behaviour Staff competency Failure to action service request; poorly informed decisions; incorrect or incomplete service provided 61
Professional behaviour Staff knowledge Lack of service specific knowledge; incomplete or out-of-date knowledge 0
Communication Communication quality Inadequate, delayed or absent communication with customer 939
Communication Confidentiality Customer’s confidentiality or privacy not respected; information shared incorrectly 179
Service delivery Systems/technology System offline; inaccessible to customer; incorrect result/information provided; poor system design 255
Service delivery Access to services Service difficult to find; location poor; facilities/ environment poor standard; not accessible to customers with disabilities 201
Service delivery Process Processing error; incorrect process used; delay in processing application; process not customer responsive 120
Policy Policy application Incorrect policy interpretation; incorrect policy applied; conflicting policy advice given 0
Policy Policy content Policy content difficult to understand; policy unreasonable or disadvantages customer 0
Service quality Information Incorrect, incomplete, out dated or inadequate information; not fit for purpose 22
Service quality Access to information Information difficult to understand, hard to find or difficult to use; not plain English 9
Service quality Timeliness Lack of staff punctuality; excessive waiting times (outside of service standard); timelines not met 1,680
Service quality Safety Maintenance; personal or family safety; duty of care not shown; poor security service/ premises; poor cleanliness 270
Service quality Service responsiveness Service design doesn’t meet customer needs; poor service fit with customer expectations 437
No case to answer No case to answer Third party; customer misunderstanding; redirected to another agency; insufficient information to investigate 0
  Total  
5,397


Additional metrics:

  • Number of positive feedback comments - 8,508
  • Number of negative feedback comments - 10,322
  • Total number of feedback comments - 19,993
  • % complaints resolved within policy timeframes - 72.78%

Data for previous years is available on the Data SA website.

Further information is available in the SA Health Patient Safety Report which is available on the Safety and Quality Reports web page.

Service improvements

SA Health encourages patients, consumers, families and carers and the community to provide feedback. Consumer feedback includes compliments, complaints, suggestions and advice. Feedback provides valuable insight on how our health services can be improved and drives quality improvement in our health services and to better meet the needs and expectations of all South Australians.

In 2024, the SA Health Consumer, Carer and Community Feedback and Complaints Management Strategic Framework, Guide and Resources were reviewed through a consultation process with consumers, Carers and LHNs Consumer Advisory and Engagement staff.

The Department’s Safety and Quality are collaborating with Multicultural Communities Council SA (MCCSA) to facilitate a workshop with culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) community leaders. The workshop will provide community leaders with information on the consumer feedback processes and mechanisms to provide feedback. The workshop will also provide an opportunity for community leaders to provide feedback on draft community resources related to consumer feedback processes and your rights and responsibilities. This feedback will ensure that information provided is easy to read, easy to understand, and in a suitable format for the CALD communities.

The Framework, Guide, Community Resources and Policy will be scheduled for release in late 2025.

Every year, LHNs continue to provide a Safety and Quality Account Report to the Department. The report demonstrates their achievements and ongoing commitment to consumer feedback as a requirement of their Service Level Agreements. The report provides an opportunity for LHNs to showcase and demonstrate quality improvement activities identified following consumer feedback and complaints.

Consumer feedback is recorded in the Safety Learning System (SLS) Consumer Feedback module to enable the investigation and management of complaints, compliments, suggestions and advice.

Compliance statement

The Department for Health and Wellbeing is compliant with Premier and Cabinet Circular 039 – complaint management in the South Australian public sector - Yes

The Department for Health and Wellbeing has communicated the content of PC 039 and the agency’s related complaints policies and procedures to employees - Yes