Impossible To Complain To Ava?

[fuzzy82]

In June we lost our 13 year old cat, Thomas, very suddenly. I felt and still feel that the vet didn't show enough concern and didn't do everything they could to treat him. In fact, I'm unable to go back to this vet because just the though of going back there is very upsetting, and we now use a different vet.

A couple of weeks after we lost Thomas I went to the AVA site to see if there was any way I could make a complaint against the vet. I found the appropriate form and read through the guidelines and everything, and was about to fill it out. But then I thought maybe I didn't have a good reason to complain, maybe I was just upset and wasn't seeing it clearly. It also says on their site that if you're not sure if you should complain, email them and ask. So I emailed them and told them the story and asked if I could complain or not.

There was no reply for several weeks. I left it for several weeks because I thought maybe they're really slow in replying to emails. So about a month later I forwarded my original email and added to it asking why there had been no reply. This was over a month ago now, and no reply.

So I'm not sure if I can complain, they say to email them, but when I do they ignore my emails. Are they just trying to get out of the paperwork that a complaint would involve? But then, why not tell me that I had no reason to complain? I could just lodge the complaint anyway, but I'm reluctant to because I'm not sure if it's worth of a complaint....

So what are you supposed to do?

Edited September 28, 2012 by fuzzy82

[noisymina]

I suspect there MAY be a problem with them saying "Yes, you have a case, you should complain".

That may leave them open to problems if you complain and get a rejection or something - so yeh, what everyone does today is cover the arse.

Then again, they would upset you if they sad no, you don't have a case. And they may be wrong if they say that too.

Only you know the situation and the details. Sometimes these things happen - it has happened to me - but in my situation, I chose not to take it any further.

Up to you. Chat with friends and maybe see if someone with a veterinary or vet nursing background could help you make the decision one way or another.

Message me if you wish.

[stormie]

The people you should make your complaint to would be the Vet Surgeons Board.

Your avatar says you're in Qld - here's the link to the complaints section of the Qld Board :)

http://www.vsb.qld.gov.au/complaints.html

[fuzzy82]

It would have been the board I emailed, I found the website for it and clicked the contact link in it, and read all the info about complaints etc. I just didn't remember the details correctly, sorry.

If they want to cover their arse, it's a bit weird that they say to email them before lodging a complaint.

[noisymina]

Weird but not unusual.

The more one deals with "organisations", the more one does not want to go there!

[Dogsfevr]

Was the vet a member of the AVA ,not all vets are its just like a union that some do join & many don't .

[fuzzy82]

I don't know, I didn't know it was a membership system. So if they're not, how would I complain?

[Crisovar]

Not all Vets are members of the AVA, but all Vets are registered by the Vet Surgeons Board, they are the ones you need to contact.

[*kirty*]

Vet board looks out for their own. I wouldn't bother.

[Crisovar]

Vet board looks out for their own. I wouldn't bother.

Why do you say that?

[Everythings Shiny]

I know of a few vets (none that I've personally worked with) that have had complaints from clients and the complaint was looked into by the surgeons board.

They try to protect their surgeons from rubbish claims, but if there is a genuine situation, they follow their set out obligations. The board is there for two reasons: 1) to protect the general public from 'dodgy' vets and 2) to protect their surgeons from the public (in cases of false claims etc).

You'd be surprised of some of the complaints they get from clients. I've been told of people complaining to the surgeons board because the vet cut their dogs nails and the nail bled etc. They don't exactly have the easiest job.

[Rappie]

The posters above are correct.

The Australian Veterinary Association represents the veterinary industry and veterinarians who are members. The Veterinary Surgeons / Practitioners Board for the state that you are in is the appropriate contact for making a complaint. They may not give you any information about whether you have grounds for a complaint - but will assess each complaint if it is submitted to them. The boards themselves are made up of both veterinarians and non-veterinarians / members of the public (including a legal representative).

[fuzzy82]

It was the board I contacted, just got it wrong in the title.

[Rappie]

I know that you don't want to go back to the original vet, but did you speak to them about your concerns at the time?

[fuzzy82]

We called them the day Thomas died to ask about cremation, and they provided us with some details. Hubby says he told them it was a cat they had treated that had died, but they asked no questions and didn't say anything about sorry they were for our loss or show any sign that they cared at all. We haven't spoken to them since.

He didn't die at the vet's, he died at home, so we weren't actually at the vet's to talk to them about it when it happened. It was the lack of treatment at the vet's that I feel lead to his death.

[Everythings Shiny]

We called them the day Thomas died to ask about cremation, and they provided us with some details. Hubby says he told them it was a cat they had treated that had died, but they asked no questions and didn't say anything about sorry they were for our loss or show any sign that they cared at all. We haven't spoken to them since.

He didn't die at the vet's, he died at home, so we weren't actually at the vet's to talk to them about it when it happened. It was the lack of treatment at the vet's that I feel lead to his death.

Some staff find it difficult to express condolances to strangers if they have had nothing to do with the patient. I know I struggle a bit. Its hard to say whether you have grounds to complain on without knowing the circumstances (ie what was wrong with your cat), which I understand you may not want to share across an open forum.

If it was a clinic I had built a reputation with, I would try and speak to someone I had built a client relationship with - a vet etc - and voice my concerns. They can't do anything about it if they don't know how you're feeling.

We've had one client come in and do this and it helped her understand what happened more easily. In her case all that could be done was to keep her pet pain free and comfortable until he passed, she couldn't understand why we couldn't do more at the time to keep him alive. Once the vet explained everything later on, she was much more at peace with the whole situation. Might be worth trying???