Complaints and Feedback
For adults experiencing mental health distress please contact Mental Health Triage on telephone 131 465 (this is a state-wide number) or attend the Urgent Mental Health Care Centre, open 24 hours, 7 days at 215 Grenfell Street, Adelaide SA 5000.https://www.neaminational.org.au/find-services/umhcc/.
For further information relating to Regional Mental Health Services, please visit:
For children experiencing mental health distress, Kids Help Line provides confidential telephone and online counselling services to young people aged 5 to 25 years old for any reason 24/7.
Phone: 1800 551 800 Website: https://kidshelpline.com.au
In case of emergency, please contact 000.
Further information regarding accessing mental health services is available at:
Mental Health care is delivered by Local Health Networks (LHN), which provide services to different areas of South Australia.
We encourage patients, consumers, families, carers and the community to provide feedback and raise complaints.
Your feedback drives safety and quality improvement in our health care services.
In the first instance, please talk to a staff member at the point of care.
If you feel your feedback or concern has not been resolved at a local level by staff providing direct care, the Consumer Advisory Service for each LHN is available to help you.
The Consumer Advisory Services have direct access to patient treatment details and are well placed to provide a clinical response regarding your care, or the care of someone else.
Consumer Advisory Service contact details for metropolitan and country services are as follows:
Central Adelaide Local Health Network (CALHN)
- Royal Adelaide Hospital, Mental Health Unit
- The Queen Elizabeth Hospital
- Glenside Health Services
- Adult community services
- Centre for Treatment of Anxiety & Depression
- Community Clinical Rehabilitation Service
- Community Rehabilitation Centre: Elpida House
- Eastern Community Mental Health Centre
- Eastern Community Team, OPMHS
- Queenstown Intermediate Care Centre
- Western Community Mental Health Centre
- Western Community Team, OPMHS
Telephone: (08) 7074 1377
Email: HealthCALHNConsumerExperience@sa.gov.au
Northern Adelaide Local Health Network (NALHN)
- Lyell McEwin Hospital
- Modbury Hospital
- Adult community services
- Modbury Office
- Salisbury Office
- Club 84
- The Gully
- Community Recovery Centre: Wondakka
Telephone: 1300 013 988
Email: NALHNCAS@sa.gov.au
Southern Adelaide Local Health Network (SALHN)
- Flinders Medical Centre
- Noarlunga Hospital
- Repat Health Precinct
- Adult community services
- Booked Assessment Clinic
- Inner South Community Mental Health Centre
- Noarlunga Team: Adaire Clinic
- Community Recovery Centre: Trevor Parry Centre
- Southern Intermediate Care Centre
Telephone: 8204 5433
Email: HealthSALHNConsumerAdvisory@sa.gov.au
Women’s and Children’s Health Network (WCHN)
- Women’s and Children’s Hospital
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services
Telephone: 8161 6710
Email: HealthWCHNConsumerFeedback@sa.gov.au
Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network (BHFLHN)
Telephone: (08) 7425 6100
Email: Health.RRIPUGeneric@sa.gov.au
Eyre and Far North Local Health Network (EFNLHN)
Telephone: 0401 772 141
Email: Health.EFNConsumerFeedback@sa.gov.au
Flinders and Upper North Local Health Network (FUNLHN)
Telephone: (08) 8668 7583
Email: Health.FUNOCEOCorrespondence@sa.gov.au
Online form: FUNLHN Online Consumer Feedback Form
Limestone Coast Local Health Network (LCLHN)
Telephone: (08) 8721 1200
Email: Health.LimestoneCoast@sa.gov.au
Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network (RMCLHN)
Telephone: (08) 8580 2400
Email: Health.RMCConsumers@sa.gov.au
Yorke and Northern Local Health Network (YNLHN)
Telephone: 1800 749 188
Email: Health.YNLHNConsumerFeedback@sa.gov.au
A complete list of contact details for the Consumer Advisory Services (including regional services) are available at:
Consumer, Carer and Community Feedback and Complaints Management | SA Health
For more information regarding the rights of Mental Health Consumers, please refer to:
Statements of Rights | Office of the Chief Psychiatrist | SA Health
The Chief Psychiatrist has the following functions:
- to promote continuous improvement in the organisation and delivery of mental health services in South Australia;
- to monitor the treatment of voluntary inpatients and involuntary inpatients, and the use of restrictive practices in relation to such patients;
- to monitor the administration of this Act and the standard of mental health care provided in South Australia
- to advise the Minister on issues relating to mental health and to report to the Minister any matters of concern relating to the care or treatment of patients;
- monitor the administration of this Act and the standard of mental health care provided in South Australia
- advise the Minister on issues relating to mental health, and to report to the Minister any matters of concern relating to the care or treatment of patients
- promote continuous improvement in the organisation and delivery of mental health services
The Office of the Chief Psychiatrist (OCP) will investigate matters of a systemic nature that are related to the delivery of mental health care by a unit, team, or service. Matters involving more than one practitioner or affecting multiple consumers may also be considered by OCP.
For local matters the OCP will refer a matter to the Consumer Adviser and ask that the service provide the outcome of its response to the matter directly to the person who has raised the matter. The OCP will also ask for a copy of this response to be sent to our Office.
If a matter is unresolved locally then it this can be reviewed by the OCP. For matters that are systemic or involve the OCP’s functions this Office might undertake a review. In some individual clinical matters it may be more appropriate for the Office to suggest that the Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner reviewing the matter.
If you require assistance regarding a matter as described above, please contact the OCP by email at HealthOCP@sa.gov.au.
Upon receipt of an enquiry, the OCP will:
- Allocate the matter to an appropriate officer
- Assess the matter and recommend an appropriate course of action
- Contact the author and advise of proposed action
- Facilitate an appropriate outcome
The Chief Psychiatrist does not have express powers with respect to the handling, addressing or resolving of complaints, however a noted above the Mental Health Act 2009 the Chief Psychiatrist has the statutory function to:
- monitor the administration of this Act and the standard of mental health care provided in South Australia
- advise the Minister on issues relating to mental health, and to report to the Minister any matters of concern relating to the care or treatment of patients
- promote continuous improvement in the organisation and delivery of mental health services
The office of the South Australian Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner (HCSCC) is an independent, statutory office established by the Health and Community Services Complaints Act 2004 (the Act).
Further information about the HCSCC complaints process is available at www.hcscc.sa.gov.au or by telephone 1800 232 007.
The Community Visitor Scheme provides advocacy and assistance to clients, their carers and family members as they work to resolve issues relating to care and service provision.
The Scheme is for people living with disability or mental illness who are:
- receiving care in a mental health treatment centre or hospital
- attending a community mental health facility
- living in state-run disability accommodation
Clients, carers and family members can request a visit by Community Visitors.
Phone: 1800 606 302 (9.00 am to 5.00 pm weekdays)
Email: cvs@sa.gov.au
Further information is available at https://communityvisitorscheme.sa.gov.au
There are also non-government services (NGO) that provide many important mental health services with assistance from the South Australian government such as:
- information, mutual support, self-help and advocacy
- individual and group psychosocial rehabilitation and support
- housing, budget and support options
- respite, family and carer services.
Similar principles apply to responding to complaints. In the first instance complaints can be made to the service directly. Contact can also be made with the Department of Health and Wellbeing’s Commissioning Division.
Email: health.commissioning@sa.gov.au
In some instances that Division will also seek advice from the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist – particularly related to clinical practice and standards.
Please note that this information applies to SA Health funded mental health NGO services.
For NDIS funded services you can contact the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission with feedback about the quality and safety of NDIS supports and services.
Phone 1800 035 544 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday excluding public holidays.