Executive Support Service including Complaints Management

The HNE Health Executive Support Service (ESS) is part of Clinical Governance, and co-ordinates the health service’s management of executive support and complaints management functions along with assisting senior management and relevant health service staff in meeting the related legislative requirements.

HNE Health is committed to improving the overall quality of health care. One of the challenges in this objective is to identify and promote strategies and practices that enhance services provided to the community and engender community trust in those who administer and provide those services.

The Executive Support Service is an area-wide service and has oversight of complaints, including those involving the Health Care Commission and the Ombudsman. More information about the Executive Support Services can be obtained in the fact sheet click here. 

Contacting the Executive Support Service

Executive Support Service Manager
Ph: 1800 605 172 or 

Compliments and Complaints Management

Compliments and complaints provide unique information about the quality of health care from the perspective of consumers and their carers. The challenge for health care services is to collect better information about consumers' views to ensure the safe delivery of care.  In NSW the Director, Clinical Governance in each area health service has portfolio responsibility, reporting to the Chief Executive, for organisational complaints management procedures.  In HNE Health, Clinical Governance has developed policy compliance procedures and toolkits to assist managers and clinicians in investigation and management of individual complaints, and the Area Complaints Manager (who is also the Executive Support Service Manager) reports to the Director Clinical Governance in relation to high level complaints management.

NSW Health Policy Directive on Complaints Management

In 2006, NSW Health released its Complaint Management Policy and Complaint Management Guidelines. The policy was developed to provide a consistent approach to frontline complaints handling. Hunter New England Health subsequently developed a Policy Compliance Procedure and Complaint Handling Toolkit.

Compliments and Complaints Line

The HNE Health Complaints Line is 1800 605 172 during office hours.

The purpose of the Compliments and Complaints Line is as a contact point for members of the public who have raised their concerns with a local service or facility and are unhappy with the response, or do not wish to raise their concern at the local facility or service.  There is a Senior Complaints Officer who is available 24 hours, 7 days a week for serious complaints. The Senior Complaints Officer is contacted by phoning 1800 605 172 during office hours or, if calling outside business hours, by contacting the local facility and asking to speak the After Hours Service or Facility Manager. The Service or Facility Manager will assist in resolving the complaint or will escalate the matter to the Senior Complaints Officer through their line manager as soon as they are able.

The Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 - GIPAA

For details on accessing information via the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 - GIPAA please click here.