Legal entity: The Trustee for ARAFURA CARE & SUPPORT SERVICES
Trading name: Vital Healthcare Services
ABN: 63 507 337 899

Phone: 0452 186 091
Email: info@vitalhcs.com.au
Website: www.vitalhcs.com.au
Office and postal address: 1-3 Metro Parade, Mawson Lakes SA 5095

Version 1.0 | Effective 5 September 2026 | Policy owner: General Manager | Review date: 5 September 2027

About this policy

This policy explains how Vital Healthcare Services receives, investigates and resolves feedback and complaints from customers, including complaints specifically related to Centrepay. We welcome complaints as an opportunity to correct issues and improve our services. A customer will not be disadvantaged, discriminated against or treated adversely for making a complaint.

Accessing this policy

This policy is available free of charge:

• on our website at www.vitalhcs.com.au
• on display at our office
• when a customer signs forms with us to use Centrepay
• as a printed, digital or accessible copy on request.

We will provide a copy within 5 business days of a request.

How a customer can make a complaint

A customer, nominee, representative, advocate, family member or trusted support person can make a complaint:

• by phone on 0452 186 091
• by email to info@vitalhcs.com.au
• in person at 1-3 Metro Parade, Mawson Lakes SA 5095
• online at www.vitalhcs.com.au/feedback-complaint-form/
• in writing to Vital Healthcare Services, 1-3 Metro Parade, Mawson Lakes SA 5095.

A complaint may be verbal or written and may be made anonymously. An anonymous complaint will be investigated as far as reasonably possible with the information available. There is no fee for making a complaint.

A customer may use an authorised third party. We accept established authority forms or may ask the customer to confirm that the person is authorised to act for them. We can also arrange reasonable communication assistance, including an interpreter or other accessible format.

The following information will help us investigate, but a customer does not need to provide every item before we accept the complaint:

• the date or dates when the issue occurred
• the customer’s name and contact details, unless they wish to remain anonymous
• details of the concern, including any Centrepay deduction amount, date or frequency
• relevant account, invoice, customer or deduction reference numbers
• supporting documents and the outcome the customer is seeking.

How we manage all customer complaints

Vital Healthcare Services will:

• acknowledge the complaint promptly, generally within 2 business days
• record the complaint in our secure complaints register
• assess whether urgent action is needed to protect the customer or prevent further loss
• appoint a suitably trained person who was not directly involved to review the matter fairly and impartially
• handle the complaint confidentially and in accordance with privacy obligations
• keep the customer informed and document all correspondence and actions
• respond in writing, or verbally if a written response is not possible
• aim to resolve the complaint within 20 business days
• explain any delay and provide an updated expected resolution date
• escalate serious or complex complaints to senior management.

Specific process for Centrepay-related complaints

A Centrepay-related complaint may concern an incorrect or unauthorised deduction, the amount or frequency of a deduction, a request to change or stop a deduction, the way a deduction authority was obtained, the goods or services connected to the deduction, or how a customer was treated when questioning a deduction.

When we receive a Centrepay-related complaint, we will:

• identify and record it separately as a Centrepay complaint and notify the General Manager
• confirm the customer’s concern, desired outcome and whether they want deductions changed, suspended or cancelled
• review the deduction authority, Centrepay transaction and reconciliation records, invoices, service records, agreements and relevant communications
• promptly assist the customer to change, suspend or cancel a deduction in accordance with their instructions and Centrepay requirements, without pressure or disadvantage
• take prompt corrective action where a deduction is found to be incorrect or unauthorised, including correcting records and returning or refunding money as required under the Centrepay Terms of Use
• give the customer the outcome, reasons and any corrective action in writing, or verbally when a written response is not possible
• record any improvement made to procedures, systems or staff training as a result of the complaint.

We will provide Services Australia with details of how we investigated, handled and resolved a Centrepay complaint when required. We will also provide evidence of any resulting improvements to our complaint process.

Serious, repeated or unresolved Centrepay complaints

If a Centrepay complaint is serious, repeated or remains unresolved, or if we know the customer is dissatisfied with our outcome, Vital Healthcare Services will notify Services Australia in writing within 5 business days. The notification will include relevant information about the complaint, our investigation, action taken and current status, subject to privacy requirements.

A customer may contact Services Australia at any time or if they are dissatisfied with our response:

• by calling the Feedback and Complaints service on 1800 132 468
• online through the Services Australia website or their Centrelink online account
• in writing to Centrelink and Medicare, Services Australia Complaints and Feedback, Reply Paid 7800, Canberra BC ACT 2610
• in person at a Services Australia service centre.

For complaints about disability supports or services, customers may also contact the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission at www.ndiscommission.gov.au/complaints or on 1800 035 544. Privacy complaints may be made to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/privacy-complaints or on 1300 363 992.

Record keeping

Vital Healthcare Services keeps Centrepay complaint records securely for at least 7 years. Electronic records are stored in a restricted-access complaints register and are accessible only to authorised staff. Records include:

• the complainant’s details, where provided
• the complaint and supporting information
• investigation notes, correspondence and actions taken
• the outcome and any refund, correction or other remedy
• referrals or reports to Services Australia or another regulator
• procedural, system or training improvements resulting from the complaint.

Staff training and review

Relevant staff receive training on Centrepay, customer deduction authorities, privacy and this complaints process. Management reviews complaints for repeated issues and uses the findings to improve services, systems, controls and staff training. This policy is reviewed at least annually and whenever Centrepay requirements materially change.