MAKING A COMPLAINT ABOUT AN OPTICAL DISPENSER

Anyone can make a complaint against an optical dispenser either direct to the Board or to the Health Care Complaints Commission, which is a independent body specifically established to deal with complaints about health care professionals.

Complaints must be in writing and should contain as much information about the alleged misconduct as possible. Complaints should be lodged with the Secretary.

On receipt of a complaint the Board must inform the Commission and vice versa. The Commission and the Board are required to consult on complaints to determine how they will be dealt with. This takes place at the monthly meeting of the Board.

A range of options is available to the Board. These include, after consultation with the Commission, referring the matter to the Commission for investigation, referring it to the Health Conciliation Registry for conciliation, referring it to another body, or dismissing the complaint.

The subject of the complaint will be notified of the existence of the complaint and will be given an opportunity to respond to the matters complained about.

Where a complaint is investigated by the Commission the Commission will report its findings to the Board and make recommendations about possible outcomes, for example, referring the matter to a disciplinary hearing or making adverse comments to the optical dispenser concerned.

The Board always makes the final decision as to whether disciplinary action is taken. When there is disagreement about the course of action determined for a complaint the more serious view will prevail. So, for example, if the Commission recommended that a matter not be investigated and the Board felt that it should then the matter would be investigated.

Decisions about penalties following hearings range from a caution or reprimand to suspension or deregistration.