Concerns and Complaints

There are a number of ways to resolve concerns about home and community care services. If you believe your concerns have not been addressed by those providing your care, you have several options for pursuing timely resolution of problems or making a formal complaint.

If you have a concern about your care, it is best to raise it at the time and place the concern arises. This includes addressing concerns directly with a care aide, health care professional or supervisor. Most concerns addressed in this way are resolved quickly and can contribute to a positive experience for both you and your caregivers.

For more information about steps you can take to build positive relationships with your caregivers, please see:

• Managing Your Care

If you have raised your concerns with your care providers and still feel that your concerns have not been addressed, you have other options for addressing your concerns or making a formal complaint.

Appeal of Home and Community Care Health Service Decisions

Decisions related to certain home and community care services can be appealed within your health authority. These decisions include:

• Eligibility and access to home and community care services;
• Changes to services authorized; and
• Assessment of the applicable client rate for a specific service and/or temporary reduction of client rates.

The health authority will then provide an objective review of how home and community care policy was applied and ensure that the decisions made in your case are appropriate.  You can ask the health care professional you are dealing with, or his/her manager, how to access this option in your health authority.

Patient Care Quality Offices

Every health region in B.C. has a Patient Care Quality Office. If your care concern has not been addressed, and you want to make a formal care quality complaint, you are encouraged to contact the Patient Care Quality Office in your health region.

For information on how to contact the patient care quality office at your health authority, see:

• Patient Care Quality Review Boards: Make a Complaint

Patient Care Quality Review Boards

If you are not satisfied with how your complaint has been handled by the Patient Care Quality Office in your region, you can request a review by an independent Patient Care Quality Review Board.

To learn more about the Patient Care Quality Review Board process, please visit:

• Patient Care Quality Review Boards: Request a Review

Assisted Living Registrar

Complaints concerning health and safety in assisted living residences may be referred to the Assisted Living Registrar for investigation.

For more information on assisted living complaints, please see:

• Assisted Living Registrar: Complaint Investigation 

Community Care Licensing Offices

Community Care Licensing Offices are located in every health region in B.C. Complaints concerning licensed community care facilities may be referred to the licensing office in your area.

For more on licensed community care facility complaints, and contact information for licensing offices in your area, please visit:

• Ministry of Health: Community Care Licensing Complaints

Office of the Seniors Advocate Information and Referral Line

The seniors advocate information and referral line allows seniors and their families, or other concerned individuals in their lives, to report concerns about their care. The toll-free phone line is available Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. by calling:

Office of the Seniors Advocate:

• 1-877-952-3181 outside Victoria, BC
• 250-952-3181 in Victoria, BC

Ombudsperson

If you believe a decision or response about home and community care services is unfair, unreasonable or inconsistent with relevant policy, procedures or legislation, you may wish to raise your concerns with the Office of the Ombudsperson. The Ombudsperson is an independent Officer of the B.C. Legislature who impartially investigates complaints from the public to ensure people are treated fairly in the delivery of government services. For more information, visit their website  www.bcombudsperson.ca or call 1-800-567-3247.

• Ombudsperson: How to Make a Complaint