Dental Council of New South Wales

About us We work to protect the health and safety of the public in New South Wales by managing complaints about health practitioners and students. We work with the Health Care Complaints Commission to decide the best way a complaint should be managed. In managing a complaint, we will work with the practitioner to raise their level of professional performance and to ensure high professional standards are maintained. We were established as part of the national registration and accreditation scheme to regulate health practitioners. Our work is governed by the [Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (NSW)](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-2009-86a) and the [Health Practitioner Regulation (New South Wales) Regulation 2016](http://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/#/view/regulation/2016/543). Our role We manage complaints about the conduct, performance and health of registered health practitioners and students in NSW. As part of the [National Registration and Accreditation Scheme](http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/content/work-nras), we manage complaints together with the Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC). This involves sharing of information and making joint decisions on the most effective and efficient ways of handling complaints. We work in accordance with the [Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (NSW)](http://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/maintop/view/inforce/act+86a+2009+cd+0+N) and the [Health Practitioner Regulation (New South Wales) Regulation 2016](https://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/#/view/regulation/2016/543). When managing complaints, we ensure that our assessment and decision making processes are fair and the outcomes result in public protection and safety. When managing a complaint we may: - make further inquiries with the practitioner - require the practitioner to attend a health and/or performance assessment - hold a panel or committee meeting to decide whether or not we need to restrict the practitioner’s practice - direct the practitioner to attend counselling - refer a complaint for investigation to the HCCC or another person or body, such as a hospital or agency - advise the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency of our decisions so it can update [the national register of health practitioners](http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/content/work-nras) - monitor the practitioner’s compliance with any conditions (conditions on their registration or restricting their practice ) - determine that no further action is required