ABSTRACT
A Commonwealth discussion paper argues that a complaints body requires powers of investigation, conciliation and adjudication, and that the complaints body should have powers of search and entry of premises, powers to compel parties to attend hearings and produce documents and evidence. A summary of four of the State complaints mechanisms with a statutory basis follows. The Professional Indemnity Review (PIR) notes that in all four cases described, the intention appears to be to resolve the grievance as informally as possible, especially where a breakdown in communication between the health care professional and the patient has occurred, and to use powers conferred by legislation only where necessary, for example, where there may have been a breach of professional standards or professional misconduct.
