Ethics and professionalism CPD for health practitioners in Australia [email protected]
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Online course · Australia

Reducing the Risk of Complaints and Notifications

The Everyday Habits That Keep Patients Safe and Concerns Rare

  • About 2 hours
  • 15 scenario questions
  • Reflective account
  • Certificate of completion
  • Online, self-paced

About this course

Most complaints and notifications are not about rare disasters; they come from everyday gaps in communication, follow-up, records and compliance. This course turns what national data and research show about notifications into habits that keep patients safe and concerns rare.

The course explains the complaints system in Australia, what the national data show, why patients complain and why risk is not spread evenly. It then covers safe clinical habits: assessment and safety-netting, tests, results and referrals, working within scope and medication safety.

Communication habits cover setting expectations and explaining costs, everyday consent checks, being reachable and following through, and courtesy and dignity. A section on records, systems and compliance covers records, practice systems, compliance areas that generate notifications and registration compliance.

Later sections deal with recognising early warning signs, responding at the front line, when to seek advice, learning from complaints, wellbeing and fatigue, peer review and supervision, and a personal prevention plan.

What you will learn

  • Know the routes by which complaints and notifications reach regulators, including in the co-regulatory states
  • Use national data and research to see which practitioners and situations attract notifications
  • Safety-net, follow up results and track referrals so nothing falls through the gap
  • Tell patients what to expect and what it will cost, and confirm consent as you go
  • Write records and run practice systems that would hold up if a complaint arrived
  • Check the compliance areas, such as advertising and registration, that commonly lead to notifications
  • Pick up early signs of dissatisfaction and resolve concerns before they escalate
  • Draw up a personal prevention plan that also looks after your own wellbeing

Who this course is for

  • Practitioners in every profession and setting
  • Practitioners who have been through a complaint and want to stop it happening again
  • Practice owners and managers
  • Early-career practitioners building good habits
  • Supervisors and clinical leaders

How the course works

  1. Enrol online and the course appears under My Courses in your Probity Courses account, ready to open on a computer, tablet or phone.

  2. Work through 6 sections and 23 short lessons in order, at your own pace. Your place is saved in the browser you use, so you can stop and come back.

  3. Use the key points, scenarios and reflection prompts in each section, and write your own notes as you go; they stay with your course pack.

  4. Finish with a 15-question final assessment. You need 12 correct answers (80%) to pass, and you can retake it after a short pause if needed.

  5. Write your reflective account, submit the short feedback form and your completion is recorded. Download a certificate of completion stating the estimated learning time (about 2 hours); record the time you actually spend.

Course content

7 sections · About 2 hours · 15-question final assessment

1How Complaints and Notifications Arise4 lessons
  • The Complaints System in Australia
  • What the National Data Show
  • Why Patients Complain
  • Risk Is Not Spread Evenly
2Safe Clinical Care Habits4 lessons
  • Assessment, Diagnosis and Safety-Netting
  • Tests, Results and Referrals
  • Working Within Scope and Competence
  • Medication Safety Habits
3Communication, Consent and Respect Habits4 lessons
  • Setting Expectations and Explaining Costs
  • Everyday Consent Checks
  • Being Reachable and Following Through
  • Courtesy, Respect and Dignity
4Records, Systems and Compliance4 lessons
  • Records That Protect Patients and Practitioners
  • Practice Systems
  • Compliance Areas That Generate Notifications
  • Registration Compliance
5Handling Dissatisfaction Early and Learning4 lessons
  • Recognising Early Warning Signs
  • Responding at the Front Line
  • When to Seek Advice
  • Learning From Complaints and Feedback
6Sustaining Safe Practice3 lessons
  • Wellbeing, Fatigue and Complaint Risk
  • Peer Review, Supervision and Staying Current
  • Your Personal Prevention Plan
7Conclusion, Final Assessment and Reflection4 lessons
  • Conclusion and key points
  • References and quick-reference guide
  • Final assessment (15 questions, 80% pass mark)
  • Your reflective account

Assessment and certificate

  • Certificate of completion stating the estimated learning time (about 2 hours); record the time you actually spend.
  • A written reflective account you can keep with your CPD records.

Questions about this course

Can any course make sure I never get a complaint?

No. Even excellent practitioners receive complaints. The course focuses on reducing avoidable risk and handling concerns early.

Which issues lead to the most notifications?

Clinical care, communication, medication and documentation feature heavily in national data. The course explains the patterns and the habits that address them.

Is this course for practitioners who already have a notification?

It is mainly preventive, but it is useful after a complaint as part of reflection. The Responding to an Ahpra Notification course covers the process itself.

Does it cover practice systems as well as individual habits?

Yes. A section covers practice systems such as results management and recall, and compliance areas that generate notifications.

Can I count this course towards my CPD?

That is your call under your Board's CPD standard: you choose activities that match your scope and the learning needs in your plan. If this course fits, file the certificate of completion, record the time you actually spend and note one change you will make in practice.

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