Complaints and feedback

Providing feedback

Anyone can provide feedback to Queensland Health about the regulation of ART providers by Queensland Health.

You can provide feedback by emailing the Assisted Reproductive Technology Unit at ART@health.qld.gov.au.

Making a complaint

Anyone can make a complaint to Queensland Health about licensed ART providers and the services they provide, or about the regulation of ART providers by Queensland Health.

Who can you make a complaint about

There are two types of complaints that we can help with:

  • you can make a complaint to us if you have concerns about an ART provider and the services they have provided or are providing.
  • you can make a complaint to us about our work as the state regulator of ART services in Queensland.

Who can’t you make a complaint about?

We cannot help with complaints about individual people who provide ART services—for example, doctors, nurses, allied health staff, counsellors or laboratory scientists.

If you have concerns about an individual working in ART services, please contact the Office of the Health Ombudsman.

What can you make a complaint about?

What you can make a complaint about depends on your concern or issue, and whether the complaint is about an ART Provider or about Queensland Health.

The following information will help you determine the appropriate pathway for your complaint.

Complaints about an ART provider

You may wish to make a complaint about an ART provider if you have concerns about:

  • issues that may affect people born as a result of an ART procedure
  • safety or wellbeing of people using ART services
  • how an ART service is being delivered
  • possible breach of the ART Act, ART Regulation, or a provider’s licence conditions
  • risks to sperm, eggs or embryos
  • the provider not holding a licence to provide ART services.

How to make a complaint

If you feel comfortable, we recommend first contacting the ART provider to discuss your issues and concerns. Most ART providers will have a clear complaints pathway to help you resolve your concerns.

If you don’t resolve your complaint with the ART provider, or if you are uncomfortable discussing your concerns with the provider, you can make a complaint to us.

You can make a complaint by emailing the Assisted Reproductive Technology Unit at ART@health.qld.gov.au.

Providing information and documents

It is important that you provide as much relevant information as possible so the complaint can be assessed quickly.

When lodging a complaint, please include:

  • an outline of the issues and concerns about the ART provider as clearly and accurately as possible
  • a timeline of events, if possible
  • details of any contact you have had with the ART provider about the issue/s or concerns
  • any supporting documentation that may help to resolve your complaint
  • the outcome you are seeking.

Please do not include personal or health information of other persons without their consent. If needed, we will request this information as part of managing the complaint.  

Assessing your complaint

As the state regulator, we promote safe practices of ART providers in Queensland.

Firstly, we will check whether your complaint is something we can deal with under the law (the Assisted Reproductive Technology Act 2024).

We understand you may feel upset or disappointed with the outcome of ART services or disagree with a decision made by an ART provider. However, we can only take action in relation to a complaint where it raises issues about:

  • the safety or wellbeing of people using ART services or people born as a result of ART
  • safe delivery of ART services , including if an unlicensed person is providing ART services
  • an event that must be reported to Queensland Health
  • possible breach of the ART Act, ART Regulation, or a provider’s licence conditions.

If your complaint is outside our role, we will let you know and, where possible, suggest another organisation that may be able to help.

If we can help, we will review the information you have provided and decide what, if any, action should be taken. However, we can only take action permitted by the law. This means we cannot:

  • take any action against an individual
  • direct an ART provider to give you an apology or compensation
  • direct an ART provider to give you an ART service.

We assess, investigate, enforce or refer

Depending on the circumstances, in managing a complaint, Queensland Health may:

  • seek further information from you, from other people involved or from the ART provider
  • conduct a preliminary assessment or formal investigation
  • take regulatory or enforcement action using the ART compliance and enforcement framework
  • refer the complaint to another agency, such as the Office of the Health Ombudsman.

Most complaints are handled within 30 business days. Complex complaints and formal investigations usually take longer.

We keep you informed

We will do our best to keep you informed about how your complaint is being managed. We will usually be able to tell you the outcome. There are times when this is not appropriate and, in this case, we will communicate this decision to you.

Complaints about Queensland Health (ART State Regulator)

You can make a complaint about Queensland Health in its role as the state regulator of ART, if the conduct of the department is not at the standard you expected. This may include concerns about:

  • how Queensland Health carried out its regulatory role
  • handling or outcome of a regulatory decision made under the ART Act
  • handling of personal information and privacy
  • delays or communication issues
  • your experience when dealing with Queensland Health about an ART matter.

How to make a complaint

Complaints about Queensland Health are handled through Queensland Health’s complaints management process. To make a complaint about the Assisted Reproductive Technology Unit, please email ART@health.qld.gov.au.

Additional resources about making a complaint about department services are also available.

Last updated: 14 May 2026