At some time in their career many excellent healthcare professionals will receive a letter from AHPRA, or another health complaints body, notifying a patient complaint.
After the initial shock and disappointment, what should you do? Just as important, what shouldn’t you do?
The Do’s
1. Take a deep breath and stay calm. It can be handled.
2. Consider contacting your medical defence organisation or legal adviser.
3. Seek early support from your General Practitioner or mental health care worker.
4. Ensure that you have the necessary detail about the complaint in writing. The regulator should provide enough detail about the complaint for you to be able to respond. Sometimes it is necessary to write to the regulator respectfully requesting details that were omitted, explaining why the requested details are necessary, to have a proper opportunity to respond.
5. Take appropriate time to respond. Don’t rush.
6. It can be difficult to remain objective, and so you should consider having your response checked.
The Don’ts
1. Do not be rude to the regulator’s representatives. They are only doing their job.
2. Do not contact the complainant. Doing so may be misinterpreted and could amount to unprofessional conduct.
3. Do not isolate yourself, support is available.
4. Do not engage in social or other media about the complaint. You must respect a complainant’s right to complain, and the confidentiality of the process.
5. Do not bury yourself in clinical work and fail to invest your time in a proper response.
6. Do not stop doing things that you love to do.
If you receive a complaint, you can take action to put yourself in the best possible position to address it effectively and to survive, and even thrive, through the process.
Some more information is available here or you can book online for an initial no-obligation chat about reviewing an employment contract or contractor agreement.