The Health Complaints Commissioner is independent. The Commissioner acts impartially and in the public interest.
Our role
The Health Complaints Commissioner is an independent officer. The Commissioner is appointed by the Governor of Tasmania. The Commissioner is also the Tasmanian Ombudsman.
The Commissioner:
- promotes and protects the rights of people who use health services
- helps resolve problems between people and the providers of health services
- improves the safety and quality of health services in Tasmania.
We look into complaints from people about health services.
Health services include public and private hospitals, and any facility where a health service is provided such as a medical clinic or community health centre. It also includes doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacists and other health practitioners registered with Australian Health Practitioner Registration Agency (Ahpra), and unregistered health care workers such as massage therapists and counsellors.
The Commissioner works directly with people who use health services and providers of health services. The Commissioner’s work includes:
- managing complaints and enquiries about health services
- providing information, education and advice on rights and responsibilities for health services
- encouraging and helping people to resolve complaints directly with the providers of health services
- assisting the providers of health services to develop procedures for resolving complaints
- working with other public authorities that protect the rights of Tasmanians.
Our services are free.
Our statement of commitment to child and youth safety
We are committed to keeping children and young people safe. This commitment covers all the work of our Office, including our roles as the Ombudsman, Health Complaints Commissioner, Custodial Inspector, Energy Ombudsman, National Preventive Mechanism and the Official Visitors program.
We believe every child and young person has the right to feel safe and to be safe. Keeping them safe is everyone's job and we take this seriously. We have zero tolerance for child abuse and harm.
Read our full statement of commitment (PDF, 106.5 KB).
Our history
The Office of the Health Complaints Commissioner was established in 1997 by the Health Complaints Act 1995 (Tas).
This Act required the Commissioner to develop a Charter of Health Rights and Responsibilities. The Charter was tabled in the Tasmanian Parliament in 1999. It sets guidelines to balance the rights and responsibilities of the providers of health services and the people who use those services.
After the publication of the Tasmanian Charter, an Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights was adopted by all of Australia’s health ministers in 2008.
A list of previous Health Complaints Commissioners can be found here.
Australasian Council of Health Complaint Entities
In December 2025, the Australasian Council of Health Complaint Entities (ACHCE) was established. Its members are the independent organisations responsible for handling health complaints in all Australian states and territories and New Zealand. The Tasmanian Health Complaints Commissioner is a member of ACHCE.
The role of the ACHCE is to help all health complaint bodies, as well as others involved in the regulation of health services, to collaborate and to coordinate their work.
About the Health Complaints Commissioner
Dr Grant Davies was appointed Tasmania’s Ombudsman and Health Complaints Commissioner in July 2025. He brings over 25 years of experience in public service and has a strong background in resolving complaints and overseeing health services.
Before this role, Dr Davies served as South Australia’s Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner from 2018. He has also held senior positions in Victoria, including Deputy Commissioner and Health Services Commissioner in the Office of the Health Services Commissioner, and Director of Projects at Safer Care Victoria.
Dr Davies began his career as a registered nurse in general and radiation oncology settings, and in acute palliative care units. He later contributed to health policy development in Queensland and Victoria. He also held national roles in overseeing aged care services, including as Investigations Manager at the Federal Office of the Aged Care Commissioner.
He joined the Research Centre for Palliative Care, Death and Dying at Flinders University in 2019.
Dr Davies holds a Bachelor of Nursing (ACU), a Master of Arts (Research) (QUT), and a PhD (Melbourne) in applied ethics. He is also a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
As with previous Ombudsmen, Dr Davies also serves as the Health Complaints Commissioner. In this role, he acts independently of government to promote and protect the rights of consumers, and to help resolve issues between consumers and providers of health services.
In addition, Dr Davies is Tasmania’s Custodial Inspector, Energy Ombudsman, de facto Tasmanian Information and Privacy Commissioner, Coordinator of the Official Visitor programs and Tasmania’s National Preventive Mechanism.
Careers
Our careers page offers information about job vacancies.