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Make a notification

In Queensland, all mandatory and voluntary notifications are made to the Health Ombudsman.

Registered health practitioners, employers or education providers must make a Mandatory Notification as soon as possible if they believe a practitioner has engaged in notifiable conduct.

Anyone can choose to make a Voluntary Notification.

You will need

Any notification lodged with the OHO should include:

  • Who was involved?
  • Where did the incident occur?
  • What happened and when?
  • What are you concerned about?
  • Have you done anything else to address this matter?
  • What do you want to happen now?
  • Any supporting documentation (where available).

Mandatory notifications

In Queensland, if you are a registered health practitioner, employer or education provider you must notify the OHO as soon as possible if you reasonably believe:

  • a registered health practitioner has demonstrated 'notifiable conduct'
  • a student has an impairment that, during the course of their clinical training, places the public at substantial risk of harm.

Notifiable conduct means a registered health practitioner has:

  • practised while intoxicated by alcohol or drugs
  • engaged in sexual misconduct in connection with the practice of their profession
  • placed the public at risk of substantial harm, in the course of their practice, due to impairment
  • placed the public at risk of harm due to a significant departure from accepted professional standards in practicing the profession.

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Voluntary notifications

You can choose to notify about a registered health practitioner's:

  • poor professional conduct
  • sub-standard knowledge, skill, judgement or care
  • lack of suitability to hold registration
  • impairment
  • breach of the National Law
  • breach of a condition of their registration
  • registration being, or possibly being, improperly obtained
  • any other issues of concern.

You can choose to notify us about a student:

  • that has been charged, convicted, or found guilty of an offence punishable by 12 months imprisonment
  • having, or possibly having, an impairment
  • having, or possibly having, breached a condition of their registration or an undertaking given by them to a National Board.

Complaints about unregistered health practitioners

While there are no mandatory requirements for unregistered health practitioners, these practitioners must comply with the National Code of Conduct for Healthcare Workers.

The Health Ombudsman can take immediate action and prohibit a practitioner from providing a particular health service, or restrict health service delivery when serious issues are identified in their provision of health services.

Anyone who has a concern that an unregistered practitioner is putting the health and safety of the public at risk in any way, should make a complaint to the OHO.

This may include:

  • practising unsafely, incompetently or while intoxicated by alcohol or drugs
  • financially exploiting someone
  • engaging in a sexual or improper personal relationship
  • discouraging someone from seeking clinically accepted care or treatment
  • making false or misleading claims about the health benefits of a particular health service
  • making false or misleading claims about qualifications, training, competence or professional affiliations held.