Overview of the Complaints Process
What types of concerns can the regulator address
The Regulator has the authority to address complaints about respiratory therapists who:
- Are currently registered to practice in Nova Scotia or who were registered at the time of the incident. Click here for a list of respiratory therapissts who are/were registered with the NSRRT;
- You believe has engaged in poor practice, inappropriate behaviour, has not met their Standards of Practice or Code of Ethical Conduct or is a risk to the public; and
- Have a health condition which may impair their ability to practice safely.
The NSRRT does not have the authority to address concerns about other healthcare providers, or complaints that relate primarily to concerns about a workplace, a healthcare facility, or the healthcare system.
what other ways can i address my concerns?
If you feel comfortable, you can talk to the respiratory therapist about your concern before making a formal complaint. This might solve the problem. However, because of the nature of their work, talking directly may not always be possible.
Sometimes, it might be better to first speak with the respiratory therapist's employer. This can work if the employer is able to handle the situation and public safety is not at risk. Depending on what the issue is, this might resolve things quickly and fairly.
You should consider sending your complaint directly to the Regulator if:
- It's not suitable to report your concern to the employer for any reason;
- You did report your concern to the employer but did not get a response within a reasonable amount of time; or
- You believe the respiratory therapist may be putting public safety at risk.
When do i submit a complaint?
There is no set deadline for filing a complaint, but incidents that happened a long time ago may be harder to investigate. Also, in serious cases, the NSRRT may need to act quickly to restrict a respiratory therapist's practice until an investigation is complete. However, it is appropriate to take time to consider your concerns, review this information, and seek any additional details which you may need prior to filing a complaint.
who can complain?
Anyone has the right to complain to the NSRRT about the professional conduct or care provided by a respiratory therapist this includes members of the public, family members, friends, registrants of the profession, other healthcare professionals, employers, and even the Registrar. If you are not the patient/client who received the care, you may not be entitled to details about that individual's health or other personal information.
who will know about the the complaint?
While there are confidentiality protections in the complaints process, when a complaint is made against a respiratory therapist, the respiratory therapist is notified and given a copy of the complaint. The respiratory therapist then has a chance to respond. Their response is usually shared with the person who made the complaint, and that person is asked to provide their comments on it. It is genereally not possilbe to remain anonymous in the complaint process. If you have a concern but do not wish to be identified as a complainant, please contact us to discuss potential alternatives to filing a complaint.
hOW LONG DOES THE COMPLAINT PROCESS TAKE?
The NSRRT tries to handle complaints as quickly as possible, but the process time can vary depending on things like how easy it is to get the needed information and how complicated the complaint is. It is often in the public interest to take extra time to make sure all the relevant information is collected to ensure important factors are not overlooked.
Some complaints are finished in about three months. If the complaint is complicated or very serious, it might take a year or longer to resolve.
An update on the complaints process can be provided at any time by contacting us.