Synopsis:
On the first of February 2017 the office of the Health Complaints Commissioner came into operation under new legislation, the Health Complaints Act 2016. This Act repealed the Health Services (Conciliation and Review) Act 1987 and thus replaced the previous office of the Health Services Commissioner with the Health Complaints Commissioner. The office is an independent and impartial statutory body that opened on 1 February, 2017 which supports safe and ethical healthcare in Victoria by:
- resolving complaints about health services and the handling of health information in Victoria
- investigating providers who pose a serious risk to the health, safety or welfare of the public monitoring and reviewing trends in complaints data
- providing an accessible service and free alternative to legal proceedings
- educating consumers and providers about their rights and responsibilities.
Speaker:
Karen Cusack was appointed as the inaugural Victorian Health Complaints Commissioner on 1 February 2017.
Prior to leading the office of the Health Complaints Commissioner (HCC), Karen was Corporate Counsel of The Royal Women’s Hospital and a member of the hospital’s Executive. She has over 20 years’ experience as a lawyer. Karen has held a number of Board and committee appointments with a number of not-for-profit and other organisations. She has undertaken various post-graduate studies, including a Master of Laws at Monash University. Karen is passionate about the role she plays within the Victorian health sector and is committed to ensuring the HCC supports quality and safety in healthcare for all Victorians.