The health and social services network complaint examination system

Since June 1, 2021, local service quality and complaints commissioners at integrated health and social services centres and integrated university health and social services centres are responsible for handling complaints from users of public and private institutions.

Any user of the health and social services network who thinks their rights have not been respected, who is not satisfied with the services they have received or who witnesses a situation of concern can report the situation or file a complaint.

The complaint examination system ensures that users' complaints are assessed and handled confidentially and independently and that users are supported throughout the procedure. The heir or legal representative of a deceased user or a person who is representing the user may also file a complaint. The use of the complaint examination system is governed by the Act respecting health services and social services .

More specifically, the Act provides for:

• the confidential assessment and handling of complaints and reports by a local service quality and complaints commissioner who is independent of the institution;
• free and confidential access to resources to support users throughout the procedure.

Before filing a complaint, a user can discuss the situation with the staff concerned or the person in charge of care and services at the institution. If they are still not satisfied despite the answers obtained, they must contact the institution's local service quality and complaints commissioner.

On this page:

Know your rights as a user

As a user of the health and social services network, you have rights and it is important to know what they are.

You have the right to be informed:

• about your health;
• about the care available to you and its effects;
• about the services available in your community and how to access them;
• about any accidents that occurred while you were receiving services that may have consequences for your health;
• enough to be able to participate freely in decisions that concern you, such as accepting or refusing care or services.

You have the right to receive:

• personalized health and social services that are scientifically, humanly and socially appropriate;
• emergency care;
• services in English if you are an English-speaking user, as provided for in the access program for your region;
• end-of-life care.

You have the right to access your information and to make different choices such as:

• consult your user record, which is confidential;
• choose the professional or institution that will provide you with the care and services you need;
• be supported, assisted or represented, if necessary, by the person of your choice.

You also have the right to be treated with courtesy, fairness and in a safe manner, with respect for your dignity, autonomy and needs.

If you think that your rights have not been respected, you have the right to:

• be informed about what you can do
• file a complaint confidentially;
• be assisted or supported throughout the procedure.

You can consult the original version of users' rights in the Act respecting health services and social services .

Report a situation of infringement of rights or abuse

If you find that the rights of a user or group of users are not respected or if you suspect or witness a situation of abuse, you can do something about it.

Inform the local service quality and complaints commissioner of the institution concerned immediately. The procedure is confidential.

File a complaint

Complaints may be made verbally or in writing to the local service quality and complaints commissioner. The procedure is confidential and can be stopped at any time.

The complaint examination procedure allows a user to make a verbal or written complaint about the health or social services they received, they should have received, they are receiving or they should be receiving.

The local commissioner is responsible for enforcing the institution's complaint examination procedure. Since they report directly to the board of directors, they have the independence required to carry out their mandate. They examine complaints with neutrality, objectivity and impartiality. They also report annually on their activities and their recommendations for service improvement.

If necessary, you can be supported by the person of your choice throughout the procedure. You can also be supported by a member of the institution's users' committee or by a person from the complaints assistance and support centre in your region.

A complaint may be filed by:

• the user themselves or a person representing them;
• the heir or legal representative of a deceased user.

Filing a complaint is a constructive action that ensures that users’ rights are respected and helps improve the quality of health and social services.

Steps involved in filing a complaint

The main steps when you contact a local service quality and complaints commissioner are as follows:

1. They receive your request and can help you formulate your complaint.
2. They examine your complaint to identify the problem and try to solve it. At this point, they will ask you for your version of events.
3. They collect information from the people involved.
4. They inform you of the outcome within 45 days of receiving your complaint. Their findings are accompanied by solutions to solve the problem or recommendations for corrective measures made to the institution. The findings are communicated verbally if the complaint is verbal and in writing if it is written.
5. You may file a second-level complaint if you are not satisfied with the commissioner's findings or recommendations.

Resources and institutions subject to the health and social services network complaint examination system

The following resources and institutions are subject to the complaint examination system:

• hospital centres;
• residential and long-term care centres (CHSLDs);
• integrated health and social services centres (CISSSs) or integrated university health and social services centres (CIUSSSs);
• local community services centres (CLSCs);
• community organizations;
• private seniors' homes;
• family-type resources:
  • foster families;
  • foster homes;
  • for people with a physical disability;
  • for people with an intellectual disability or pervasive developmental disorder;
  • for people with an addiction;
  • for mothers with adjustment difficulties;

  Both public and private institutions and resources are subject to the complaint examination system.

  Special situations

  Some particularities may apply depending on the service or professional the complaint is filed against. Please check if any of the situations described below applies to you.

  For all other situations, the complaint procedure described above applies. You can go to the section "Contact a local service quality and complaints commissioner" to find out the contact information for the commissioner of the institution concerned.