The Office of the Health Ombudsman (OHO) has reported below-budget expenditure for the 2031 registrant-related health complaints received in the 2014–15 financial year.

Of the $4.5 million provided in funding from the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), approximately $4.12 million was spent on matters relating to the health, conduct and performance of registered practitioners providing a health service in Queensland.

Each year the Minister for Health determines the level of funding to be provided by AHPRA to the Health Ombudsman to assist in meeting the costs of managing Queensland’s health complaints system.

“Publicly accounting for the expenditure of these funds reflects the OHO’s ongoing commitment to transparency and accountability in the way we managed health complaints,” Health Ombudsman Leon Atkinson-MacEwen said.

Medical practitioners, which includes general practitioners, specialists, pathologists and surgeons, accounted for over two-thirds of all registrant-related complaints at a cost of $2,775,163 to the OHO.

Mr Atkinson-MacEwen said the additional $767,263 needed to cover the shortfall was offset by below-budget spending on complaints against nurses ($683,730 under budget) and pharmacists ($342,605 under budget).

Mr Atkinson-MacEwen said health practitioners have a right to know how organisations like AHPRA and the OHO spend their registration fees.

“The OHO is committed to working closely with AHPRA to deliver the best possible outcomes for Queensland’s health service complaints system.

“Transparency through reporting will assist both agencies to deliver on this, as well as allow for the development of more accurate funding models in the future.”

Media contact:

media@oho.qld.gov.au 0427 483 656