Resources for Making a Complaint in BC
Back to Patient & Care Partner Communication
This is an extension of the last education article, How to Make a Complaint in BC. The Resources are listed in order of priority and sequence:
Obtain your hospital or facility health records
*Only the patient, the legal Representative or the estate Executor (if the patient has died) can request these documents and it is one of the most significant reasons to get these documents in place. See: How to Make a Complaint.
Anyone can report a death to the Coroners Service that they believe meets the reporting requirements under the Coroners Act to be investigated by an independent body. For initial reports of new deaths call 1-855-207-0637 or 250-561-8488.
Most cases are reported to the Coroners Service by police, BC Ambulance Service and hospitals or long-term care homes. However, family members, friends, witnesses or others who believe death meets the requirements of the Coroners Act may also report a death. The case will be assigned to a coroner who will perform a preliminary examination of the facts to determine whether the death meets the criteria for a full investigation.
Patient Care Quality Offices
Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA)
Services and Hospitals Include:
All BC Cancer Agencies
BC Emergency Health Services (Ambulance and Paramedics)
BC Centre for Disease Control
BC Children’s Hospital & Sunnyhill Hospital for Children
BC Women’s Hospital & associated services
Contact Info:
Tel: 1-888-875-3256 (toll free)
Fax: 604-829-2631
Email:pcqo@phsa.ca
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Vancouver Coastal Health Authority (VCH)
Regions Served:
Vancouver City
Richmond
North and West Vancouver
Sea to Sky Corridor to Whistler
Garibaldi, including Sunshine Coast, Bella Coola and Bella Bella
Contact Info:
Tel: 1.877.993.9199
Fax: 604.875.5545
Email: pcqo@vch.ca
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Providence Health Care (PHC)
Facilities Served:
Catholic based acute care hospitals in Vancouver including St. Paul’s Hospital and Mt. St. Joseph’s Hospital and assisted and residential care, hospices and Burnaby.
Contact Info:
Tel: 604-806-8284
Email: jsilver@providencehealth.bc.ca
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Regions Served:
Burnaby
New West Minster
Port Moody
Coquitlam
Port Coquitlam
Fraser Valley: Surrey to Hope
Contact Info:
Tel: 1-877-880-8823
Fax: 604-463-1888
E-mail: pcqoffice@fraserhealth.ca
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Vancouver Island Health Authority (also known as Island Health) (VIHA or IH)
Regions Served:
All of Vancouver Island and Gulf Islands
Contact Info:
Tel: 250-370-8323
Toll Free: 1-877-977-5797
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Interior Health Authority (IHA)
Regions Served:
Central Interior from US border, through Okanagan, Okanagan- Similkameen, and Thompson-Okanagan.
Contact Info:
Toll Free Number: 1-877-IHA-2001 (1-877-442-2001)
Fax: 250-870-4670
E-mail: Contact us by email
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Northern Health Authority (NHA)
Regions Served:
From Quesnel and Valemount to BC-Yukon Border
Central hub is Prince George
Contact Info:
Toll-free: 1 877 677-7715
Fax: 250 565-2640
Assisted Living Registrar – Making a Complaint
The ALR investigates complaints about the health and safety of assisted living assisted living residents.
Call toll-free at 1 866 714-3378 or 250 952-1369 in Victoria.
Community Care Licensing Offices
Community Care Licensing Officers investigate complaints about the health, safety or well-being of a person in care at a licensed community care facility. “Community care facility” is a facility that where adults reside and receive care: hospice (end of life care), mental health and substance use, long term care (also known as extended care or residential care), community living for people with developmental disabilities, and acquired injury.
· Call Enquiry BC at 1 800-663-7867 and ask to be connected to your health authority’s Community Care Licensing Office.
Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA)
All BC Cancer Agencies
BC Emergency Health Services (Ambulance and Paramedics)
BC Centre for Disease Control
BC Children’s Hospital & Sunnyhill Hospital for Children
BC Women’s Hospital & associated services
Vancouver Island Health Authority (also known as Island Health) (VIHA or IH)
BC College of Nurses and Midwives
BCCNM reviews all complaints about all nurses (licensed graduated nurse, licensed practical nurses, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, and registered psychiatric nurses) and midwives currently or formerly registered to practise in British Columbia.
· Go to the website for details on how to prepare and submit your complaint.
College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC
All physicians and surgeons who are licensed to practise in British Columbia are registrants of the College.
A complaint to the CPSBC is not an immediate course of action and is not appropriate if there are concerns with current or ongoing care.
Complaints to the CPSBC can take place at the same time as legal action. Any legal action must be submitted to the courts within 2 years of the date of the negligence so if you feel that you have a legal case, seek out legal counsel early. (Legal action will not be discussed in this book.)
“Submitting a complaint with the College can lead to better health and well-being for all patients. We encourage people to share their concerns about a physician or surgeon’s (registrant’s) professionalism or clinical competence if they think there is a risk to the public.”
· This is a regulatory and legal process that primarily takes place via written correspondence.
· It takes 6 months or more to receive an initial response and often a year or more.
The physicians in your complaint will be contacted for their side of the complaint and they must do so in writing. This correspondence will be shared with you for your thoughts and reaction. This is not to result in punitive care by that physician. If you experience negative comments from that physician (especially if you have not been able to obtain care through another physician) this should be reported to the CPSBC immediately.
Patient Care Quality Review Board (PCQRB)
The PCQRB reviews patient and their Representative’s concerns regarding policies and procedures of the health authorities including hospitals, a contracted agency, services that someone expected to receive from a health authority but did not, including concerns about the PCQO response.
The patient or their Representative must have made a complaint to the PCQO before making a follow-up complaint to the PCQRB.
Important note: the PCQRB has 6 months to respond the complaint and can ask for extensions. Therefore, this is not a rapid process. This is not the appropriate process when the concerns are ongoing. The patient or their Representative must be patient and willing to reopen emotional wounds for years.
File a Request for a Review:
Complete Form 3
If your complaint was against more than one registrant, you are required by Rule 4(3) of the Review Board’s Rules of Practice and Procedure to submit a separate application for each registrant
Attach a copy of the inquiry committee disposition that the college sent you
Send it to the Review Board within 30 days of receiving the notice. If you are beyond the 30 days, you must also submit Form 13
Copy the college and the registrant(s)[CJ1]
Patient Care Quality Review Boards
PO Box 9643
Victoria BC V8W 9P1
Toll Free: 1-866-952-2448
Fax: 250-952-2428
Email: contact@patientcarequalityreviewboard.ca
Ombudsperson British Columbia
The Office of the Ombudsperson is separate agency that takes concerns and complaints regarding any and all government agencies. Reach out to them is you disagree with a decision that was made. Note: the Office will instruct you to go through the complaints process with the PCQO, PCQRB, College of Physicians and Surgeons, and/or the College of Nurses and Midwives before they can take on your complaint – but they are there to guide you through those complaint processes.
*Taken directly from their website
Patient Pathways provides one-on-one support in helping patients access BC healthcare services and determine Advance Healthcare Directives. See our Services and Fees.
