All dietitians should deliver safe, effective, and evidence-based services.
You can make a complaint to the Dietitian and Nutritionist Regulatory Council (DNRC) if you're worried about the conduct of:
- an Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD)
- a member of Dietitians Australia.
We cannot process complaints about all dietitians and situations. Follow our checklist before making a complaint.
The Dietitian and Nutritionist Regulatory Council (DNRC)
The DNRC is an independent council of Dietitians Australia. It oversees complaints submitted to Dietitians Australia.
The DNRC can accept complaints for:
- dietitians who hold the Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) credential
- members of Dietitians Australia who are not APDs.
Code of Conduct
The Code of Conduct for dietitians and nutritionists sets out the legal requirements, professional behaviour and conduct expectations for dietitians and nutritionists in all Australian settings.
Complaints submitted to us must involve a breach of the Code to proceed through the complaints process.
Checklist for making a complaint
We cannot process complaints about all dietitians and situations. Consider the following before submitting a complaint to us:
- who is the complaint about?
- does it involve a breach of the Code of Conduct?
- types of complaints we cannot investigate
- other ways to resolve your concerns.
Before submitting a complaint to us you need to confirm if the dietitian is an APD or a Dietitians Australia member.
APDs
To confirm if the dietitian you’re seeing is a current or active APD search the Register of Accredited Practising Dietitians.
Member of Dietitians Australia
To confirm the dietitian is a member of Dietitians Australia, contact us at credentialing@dietitiansaustralia.org.au
Other dietitians and health professionals
If they’re not an APD or a member, your complaint will need to be referred to the relevant authority. You may contact:
- their registration body, for example, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)
- the relevant state and territory health complaints body:
- ACT - Health Services Commissioner
- NSW - Health Care Complaints Commission
- NT - Health and Community Services Complaints Commission
- QLD - Office of the Health Ombudsman
- SA - Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner
- TAS - Health Complaints Commissioner
- VIC - Health Complaints Commissioner
- WA - Health and Disability Services Complaints Office
We can only process complaints that involve a breach of the Code of Conduct for dietitians and nutritionists.
Review the Code before submitting your complaint. This will help you write your complaint.
The types of complaints we cannot help with:
- contracts of employment/engagement. These can be directed to fairwork.gov.au
- costs and/or fees for dietetic services
- an APD where civil proceedings are required and/or in motion
- a person claiming to be a dietitian but is not an APD
- another health professional who is not an APD
- if your concern relates to the following outcomes:
- seeking an apology
- requiring an explanation
- refund or compensation
- health record access or requests for amendments
- policy changes that affect practice.
Contact your state or territory health complaints body for help directing your complaint to the appropriate authority. Contacts are listed above, under 'who is the complaint about'.
Misunderstandings can sometimes occur. There may be other ways to resolve your concerns before making a complaint.
Before submitting your complaint, have you considered:
- speaking with or writing a letter to the dietitian
- speaking with or writing a letter to the dietitian’s employer/workplace supervisor
- using the formal complaints process of the dietitian's employer
- lodging a complaint with the healthcare complaints body in your state or territory
How to make a complaint
To submit a complaint, follow the below steps. The complaints process is detailed in our Complaints and Disciplinary Procedures By-Law.
Before submitting your complaint, read our checklist for making a complaint. This will help confirm your complaint is able to be processed by us.
This includes reading the Code of Conduct for dietitians and nutritionists.
Download and complete the complaints form.
Download complaint form (DOCX)
If you need help completing the form, you can contact us at 02 6189 1200 or credentialing@dietitiansaustralia.org.au
Email your completed form to credentialing@dietitiansaustralia.org.au or post it to:
Private and Confidential
Credentialing
Dietitians Australia
PO Box 2087
WODEN ACT 2606
You will receive acknowledgment of your complaint within 7 business days.
Complaints process and outcome
Your complaint will be treated seriously and confidentially, in line with the By-Law Complaints and Disciplinary Procedures.
Where needed, the complaint can be remediated through:
- education
- extra mentoring
- peer support
- other practice guidance
Suspension or expulsion is only considered if remediation is insufficient or the practitioner is unwilling to accept or participate in the process. Expelled and suspended members are listed publicly on our website.
For more information read our Complaints and Disciplinary Procedures By-Law.
Get in touch
If you have questions about our complaints process, contact us at credentialing@dietitiansaustralia.org.au