If you have a complaint about a registered osteopath, you can send it to us via our website form, or you can email it to [email protected].  We must send to the Health and Disability Commissioner (HDC) all complaints alleging a health practitioner's practice or conduct has affected a health consumer, so when we receive your complaint, our first step is to determine whether we need to refer it to HDC. You can also send your complaint directly to the Health and Disability Commissioner, PO Box 1791, Auckland, or email [email protected]

If the HDC sends the complaint back to us, we will then review it and determine whether any further action is necessary.  Our options include:

• taking no further action;
• referring the matter to a Professional Conduct Committee (PCC) for investigation;
• referring the osteopath for a competence review, if we believe the issues you have raised indicate concerns about the osteopath's competence; or
• referring the osteopath for a review of their health, if we believe there may be an issue with their fitness to practise.

If the matter is referred to a PCC, you, as the complainant, will be involved throughout the PCC's investigation process.

 

Confidentiality and Natural Justice

Anonymous referrals may not be able to be considered unless further enquiry is possible. If this poses a difficulty for you, please contact us on (04) 474 0747 to discuss this further. Otherwise, your notification or complaint (including your name but minus your contact details) will be provided to the osteopath to allow them to respond.

 

Professional Conduct Committees (PCC)

A PCC is an independent investigative body appointed by Council. PCCs are made up of two osteopaths and a lay member. After investigating a complaint, PCCs can make various determinations and recommendations. Some of the determinations and recommendations are:

• that the Council counsel the practitioner;
• that the Council review the competence of the health practitioner;
• that the Council review the practitioner's scope of practice;
• that a charge be brought against the health practitioner in the Health Practitioners' Disciplinary Tribunal; or
• that no further steps be taken.

 

Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal

The HPCA Act has established a Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal to hear and determine charges brought by a PCC (or by the HDC's Director of Proceedings). The Tribunal  is a formal judicial body and is separate from the Council.  If the Tribunal finds that a charge against a health practitioner is made out, it may impose penalties on the practitioner including - in serious cases - the cancellation or suspension of the practitioner's registration. 

 

Further information

For more details on the complaint, PCC and HPDT processes, click here.  If you prefer to talk through the process, you are welcome to contact us.  We know the complaint process can be confusing, so if you are unsure what to do, or who to complain to, please call us and we will do our best to help you.

 

Unregistered health professionals

We are only able to investigate complaints about registered osteopaths.  If your complaint is about a person who is using the title "osteopath" but you cannot find that person on our online register, please contact us and we will help you find out if they are registered.  It is unlawful for people to call themselves an osteopath if they are not registered with us. 

 

Where to make a complaint

To make a complaint about a registered osteopath using our online form, click on the button below.

 

Make a Complaint