THE ACT Human Rights Commission has seen a 35% increase in the number of complaints it has received against health professionals since 2016/17, the Commission's 2018/19 Annual Report reveals.
The Commission received 683 complaints in the 2018/19 year, with 451 related to health services, with one made against a pharmacy relating to a dispensing error.
The report noted that a woman lodged a complaint against the pharmacy after inadvertently being dispensed a prescription that belonged to another patient.
The woman told the Commission that she took the medication and suffered an adverse reaction.
After consulting with the pharmacist on duty the parties attended a conciliation conference where they were able to reach agreement on a number of outcomes which resolved the complaint.
The outcomes included an apology, changes in dispensing practice and financial compensation.
Regulatory action was taken against the pharmacist.
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