Healthcare complaints soar to more than 7000 in one year

Thousands of complaints were made to the state’s health watchdog last year, including one patient who was not given any pain relief after having 17 teeth removed.

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More than 7000 complaints were made to the state’s health watchdog last year, including one patient who was not given any pain relief after having 17 teeth removed.

Another complaint was lodged by a man recovering from spinal surgery who was forced to defend himself against an aggressive patient in his shared public hospital room.

The number of cases represent a 10 per cent increase in complaints about poor health care service delivery, with public hospitals attracting 1181.

The cases were documented in the latest Health Care Complaints Commission annual report, which highlighted issues with emergency medicine, general medicine and mental health care among the key areas of patient concern.

While no health practitioners were immune to complaints, psychologists represented the biggest increase, up 30 per cent compared with the previous year.

Nurses and midwives were the subject of 730 complaints, up by 16 per cent compared with last year.

‘Unexpected outcomes’ of cosmetic surgery led to a rise in complaints to the Health Care Complaints Commission last year. Picture: iStock

The report said complaints about cosmetic services was also rising, with “unexpected outcome” among the biggest issues.

More than 400 complaints were referred for investigation, with professional misconduct dominating the cases.

The report attributed the rise in complaints to an ageing population, growing demand for health services, and greater awareness about speaking out when things go wrong.

While complaints had been rising for the past decade, the 7084 complaints received by the commission showed “a more intensive rate of growth than last year”.