What a complaints and feedback register should record

Last checked 2026-10-13 · Original practical information

A complaints and feedback register should help a practice respond fairly and learn from what happened. It should not become a second clinical record, a collection of opinions about patients, or a spreadsheet that only one person understands. The useful test is whether an authorised colleague can open a record later and understand the issue, what was decided, what remains to be done, and where the supporting evidence is kept. The following field suggestions are an original administrative design, not a prescribed statutory form.

Separate the summary from the confidential case

Give each entry a reference and record when feedback was received. Use a short, neutral title, a feedback type and the channel: for example, a suggestion received at reception or a complaint received in writing. Record the date of the event separately when known. If dates or facts are uncertain, say so. Do not convert a person's account into an established fact simply by putting it in the register.

Keep names, health details, correspondence and other sensitive material in the appropriate restricted case record. A general register can point to that location using a reference accessible only to authorised people. Even a summary can identify someone in a small practice, so consider its audience before saving. De-identification is a practical exercise, not just removal of a name.

Record what the person is asking for

Describe the concern in plain language and distinguish it from the desired outcome. A person may want an explanation, a correction, a conversation or a change to the practice's process. Recording that request helps the reviewer respond to the actual issue. If the person is not comfortable identifying themselves, record that the feedback was anonymous rather than attempting to infer an identity.

Note communication preferences and assistance needs in the restricted case record where necessary. Ask which method is suitable instead of assuming email is welcome. Record any authority required before discussing a complaint with someone acting for another person. The register should show that the responsible reviewer has considered communication arrangements without distributing those details to the whole team.

Identify responsibility and immediate concerns

Allocate a person to coordinate the response and give the entry a status. Useful statuses describe work: received, under review, awaiting information, action in progress and closed. If your practice uses different labels, define them so staff interpret them consistently. An entry should not become ownerless when someone goes on leave; name the covering role and make the handover visible.

Check promptly whether the matter needs urgent attention, a clinical review, a privacy response or another formal process. Reception staff should use the practice's established escalation arrangements rather than deciding clinical significance themselves. This register does not replace incident reporting, open disclosure, mandatory notifications or state complaint-handling requirements. The responsible professional must determine which other processes apply.

Keep the response history factual

Record the steps taken, their dates and the role responsible. Distinguish information received from findings and decisions. Avoid labels such as difficult or unreasonable when a factual description of a conversation is enough. If accounts differ, record the difference and the evidence considered rather than forcing agreement into a short summary.

Keep original correspondence where the practice's approved records process requires it. A correction to a register entry should preserve the earlier record and explain the correction; changing yesterday's account without a trace makes later review harder. Do not paste sensitive correspondence into an unrestricted note merely because the register is convenient. Link to a secure record and use the minimum summary needed for management oversight.

Turn findings into actions

An action needs an owner, a due date, a clear task and a way to check completion. Replace improve communication with a specific activity, such as review the reception explanation for appointment delays and test it with the team. Record whether a change affects a policy, a form, staff training or another part of the service. Link the relevant document version so the relationship remains understandable after later revisions.

Closing a complaint and completing every improvement action may happen at different times. Keep the distinction visible. The practice may have responded to the person while a longer improvement remains open. Conversely, changing a procedure does not automatically mean the person has received an appropriate response. A manager should be able to see both the communication outcome and outstanding actions.

Close with a reason, then check learning

Record the closure date, the outcome, who made the decision and how the response was communicated. If the person remains dissatisfied, record that accurately rather than selecting resolved for convenience. Explain any review or escalation information given using the practice's approved process. Do not promise a result that depends on an external body or another practitioner.

Look across entries regularly for recurring themes. Group issues in a way that helps action: communication, access, facilities or administrative process, for example. Counts alone are not a performance score. A rise may reflect better opportunities to provide feedback. Read a sample and ask what changed, what worked, and whether the same problem returned after an action was marked complete.

Design access and exports before sharing

Choose who can submit feedback, who can see individual entries and who can manage actions. These are separate permissions. Check exported spreadsheets as carefully as the on-screen register, especially when a file will be emailed or included in evidence. Share aggregated, appropriately de-identified summaries where detailed case information is unnecessary, and use the practice's retention and disposal arrangements rather than keeping every working copy indefinitely.

The Commission's primary and community healthcare guidance provides useful background on feedback, complaints and improvement. It is not a substitute for checking the standards and complaint processes that apply to your own practice. Start with a fictional entry, practise its handover and closure, and adjust the fields before using the register for real feedback.

Sources

• Australian Commission — Primary and Community Healthcare Clinical Governance Standard
• OAIC — Guide to health privacy

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