Examples of when to complain about any aspect of your care
Your support worker misses appointments regularly or is often late.
You, or your family or whānau are not being properly included in your care.
Your culture or lifestyle is not being respected.
You’re not getting the services you need.
A support worker is dishonest or abusive.
First contact for your complaint
Talking to the home support agency or service provider is often the first step to resolving a problem.
How to complain to a service provider or home support organisation
Phone or write to the manager at the organisation providing your care. Their contact details are in the information pack you received when your services started. If you phone they must write down what you tell them.
If you discuss your concern with your support worker, ask them to pass the information on to their manager. Make a note of the time and date of your conversation, and what you discussed in case your problem continues.
What the provider must do about your concern
Under the Health and Disability Code of Rights, service providers must follow these steps.
They must work out a way to resolve your concern that is fair, simple, speedy and efficient.
If it is not resolved within 5 working days, they must acknowledge your complaint in writing within those 5 days.
They have to make sure you know how the complaints procedure works and tell you that you can:
have an advocate to help you, or
complain to the Health and Disability Commissioner.
They need to keep a written record of your complaint and the actions they took.
They must aim to resolve your complaint within 10 working days. If they cannot resolve it within 20 working days, they must let you know why not.
They must let you know at least once a month about progress with your complaint.
They have to tell you the final decision and what they plan to do.
If you are not satisfied, you can ask them to review their decision.
Get help with your complaint
Many people find it helpful to include a member of their family or whānau when they contact a provider or government agency.
The Health and Disability Commissioner keeps a list of advocates who can give you any help you need with your complaint. Their advice is free and independent.
Health and Disability Commissioner, at any stage of making your complaint.
65 or older — Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora — how to complain
If you’re 65 or older, contact Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora to explain your problem. Talk to the team that looks after complaints or the Funding Manager responsible for the health of older people:
ask the home support organisation to resolve the problem and let them or Needs Assessment Service Coordination (NASC) team know what happens
investigate and resolve the problem themselves
refer the complaint to another agency — for example, Whaikaha — Ministry of Disabled People or the Health and Disability Commissioner.
Sometimes they may decide to take no action.
Life-long disability — Whaikaha — Ministry of Disabled People — how to complain
If you have a life-long disability and are concerned about the home support services you receive, contact Whaikaha — Ministry of Disabled People for their help.
