Receiving a complaint or notification of medico-legal actions can be a very distressing experience, regardless of how long you have been practising medicine.  Depending on the type of complaint or issue there are many different avenues that can be taken, and it is a confusing labyrinth to navigate.

You will need support and guidance through this.

As of September 2022, all medico-legal notifications sent to JMOs through CHS will be copied to the DPET team, and one of the team will reach out to you for support.  This system does not catch all of the issues due to the number of disparate ways you can be contacted about these - so if you haven't heard from the DPET team and you have received a complaint/notification - please get in touch ASAP so we can help guide and support you through the process.

Even when you are working within the public hospital system, you should still have your own medical indemnity through an independent provider.  It's very inexpensive when you are junior, and cover is retroactive from the day you start paying your fees.

Please see below for links to the various medical defence organisation sites (there is no affiliation with Canberra Health Services and these are not all of the available options - it is just a starting point for you).

Please also see the welfare and DPET tab for links to welfare and support resources - but please remember to reach out to the DPET team early!