We are committed to providing care that is thoughtful, respectful and responsive to your needs. If something about your experience with the clinic has concerned you, affected your care, or simply has not felt right, we want to hear about it.
We understand that raising a concern can be confronting, particularly when it relates to your care or your relationship with a practitioner. We are committed to creating a supportive and respectful process where you can speak openly about what has happened and what you need from us. We will listen carefully, take your concerns seriously, and work with you to understand what has happened and what may help.
Important: Making a complaint will not disadvantage you or negatively affect your care. You can also seek independent advice or contact an external complaints body at any time.
How to give feedback or make a complaint
You can contact us in whichever way is easiest for you:
- Email support@thefeelgoodclinic.com;
- Call +61 2 9212 5541;
- Use the contact form on our website; or
- Speak directly with a member of our team.
Note: There is no special form or particular wording required. Simply tell us what has happened and what you would like us to understand or address.
If you would prefer someone else to contact us on your behalf, such as a family member, carer, advocate or support person, they can also raise a concern with us. We will need your consent before we can discuss confidential information about your care with them.
Tip: You can also provide feedback or make a complaint anonymously. We will still review and consider your concerns, although being unable to contact you may limit our ability to clarify what happened, investigate some aspects of the concern or let you know the outcome.
What happens when you make a complaint
We will usually acknowledge your complaint within two business days.
We will listen to your concerns and review any information needed to understand what has happened and respond appropriately.
Depending on the issue, this may involve speaking with relevant team members or practitioners, reviewing records or communications, and seeking clinical or other specialist advice where needed.
We will keep you informed if the complaint cannot be resolved quickly.
Note: There is no single resolution timeframe for every complaint. Some concerns can be resolved almost immediately, while more complex matters may require additional information, clinical review or specialist advice and take longer to resolve properly.
How we try to resolve concerns
Wherever possible, we will work with you to understand and resolve your concerns fairly and respectfully.
We will keep you informed throughout the process and explain any decisions or limitations that are relevant to your complaint.
We cannot disclose another person’s confidential clinical, employment or personal information as part of responding to a complaint.
Your ongoing care
Important: Raising a concern or making a complaint will not negatively affect the care you receive.
If your concerns affect your relationship with your practitioner or your ongoing care, we will work with you to consider what may help and what is clinically appropriate.
Any decisions about your ongoing care will be based on your needs and appropriate clinical considerations.
If you are unhappy with the outcome
If you feel our response has not adequately addressed your concerns, please let us know. You can ask us to review the matter again and, where reasonably possible, this will be considered by an appropriately senior person who was not responsible for the original decision.
Note: An internal review is optional. You are not required to ask us to review the complaint again before contacting an external complaints body.
External complaint options
You have the right to seek independent advice or make a complaint outside the clinic.
In NSW, the Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) accepts complaints about health services, registered health practitioners and non-registered health practitioners.
Complaints about registered psychologists in NSW may also be managed by the Psychology Council of NSW as part of the NSW health complaints system.
Outside NSW, AHPRA’s information about raising a concern can help you identify the appropriate complaints pathway.
If your concern relates specifically to how your personal or health information has been handled, you may also be able to make a complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC). The OAIC generally requires you to raise the privacy concern with the clinic first and allow a reasonable opportunity for us to respond.
Help making a complaint
Tip: Please let us know if there is anything that would make it easier for you to raise or discuss your concerns. This might include communicating in a different way, involving a support person or advocate, using an interpreter, or providing information in a more accessible format.
If you are unsure how to raise a concern, contact us at support@thefeelgoodclinic.com or call +61 2 9212 5541 and we can help.