Last updated 26 August 2026

What we consider a complaint

A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction or grievance directed at this practice or its staff. This can relate to any aspect of your experience with us, including clinical care, communication, administrative processes, or the conduct of a staff member.

If your complaint concerns care you received from another provider we referred you to, such as a hospital or another health professional, we encourage you to let us know. We are not able to take responsibility for the actions of external providers, but your feedback helps us make better informed referrals in future.

How to make a complaint

You can raise a complaint with us by:

• telephone
• email
• fax
• mail
• speaking to a staff member directly, or leaving a private message

We do not treat comments left on Facebook, Google or other public social media as complaints. This is to protect your privacy and because these channels do not allow us to resolve your concerns effectively. If you have a concern, please contact us directly through one of the channels above.

How we record your complaint

All complaints are recorded in our practice Complaints Registry by the staff member who receives them. The record includes your name and contact details, the full details of the complaint, and the date it was received.

All subsequent communications and actions taken in response are also logged. We review complaints periodically to identify any trends and to guide improvements to our practice.

Your complaint is handled in confidence. We will not disclose your personal information to anyone outside the practice without your written consent, other than where we are required to do so by law.

What to expect

We aim to resolve complaints within ten working days of receiving them. Where a matter is more complex and needs longer, we will let you know an approximate timeframe upfront.

We will keep you informed of progress, particularly where there are delays or changes to that timeframe. If your complaint leads to a change in how we deliver a service, we will let you know. In some cases, we may follow up with you afterwards to check that you are satisfied with how the matter was resolved.

How we respond to complaints

We aim to respond to every complaint courteously and, wherever possible, to resolve it at the first point of contact. Even where a complaint is resolved immediately, it is still recorded.

Where a complaint cannot be resolved straight away, we will let you know the expected timeframe, who will be handling it, and what the process will involve.

Depending on the nature of your complaint, a response may include:

• a more detailed explanation of what happened
• an offer to discuss the matter with you in person
• an apology
• a change to our systems or procedures
• referral to another provider
• remedial treatment
• compensation
• referral to an external body for further review

If you are not satisfied with our response

If you are not satisfied with how we have handled your complaint, you can raise it with an external body:

• Health Complaints Commissioner (Victoria) for complaints about the health service you received, at hcc.vic.gov.au.
• Medical Board of Australia / AHPRA for concerns about the professional conduct of a registered health practitioner, at ahpra.gov.au.
• Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission for complaints involving discrimination, at humanrights.vic.gov.au.

Contact us

Dr Jill Tomlinson
549 Bridge Road, Richmond VIC 3121
Phone: 03 9427 9596 Fax: 03 8677 9116
Email: info@jilltomlinson.com