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Where to Complain and Who Regulates What

For: Seniors, family members, or carers experiencing issues with services or care.

Guide review recorded: 2026-06-12. This is the saved guide review date; later source access dates do not mean the guide was reviewed again.

Need help quickly?

Use these first contacts when safety, care quality, money, or an official decision cannot wait.

Emergency

Call 111 if someone is in immediate danger.

Call 111
Elder abuse

Elder Abuse Response Service: 0800 32 668 65, text 5032, or email support@elderabuse.nz.

Open support site (opens in a new tab)
Care complaint

HDC general enquiries: 0800 11 22 33, Monday–Friday 8.30am–5pm. Use the site for complaint options.

Visit HDC (opens in a new tab)
Scams

Netsafe advice: 0508 638 723, Monday–Friday 9am–5pm. Separately, report spam or scam texts to DIA on 7726.

Visit Netsafe (opens in a new tab)
Agency decision

Ombudsman general enquiries: 0800 802 602, Monday–Friday 8.30am–5pm. The site explains public-agency complaint options.

Visit Ombudsman (opens in a new tab)

Contact details checked against primary service pages on 10 October 2026. Check the linked service for current hours and complaint or reporting scope.

Short Summary

Ensure your concerns are heard by matching your specific issue to the appropriate regulatory body or advocacy service.

Steps & Guidance

  1. 1

    Health & Disability Care Quality

    If there is a breach of rights or quality in health/disability services, complain to the Health and Disability Commissioner (HDC).

  2. 2

    Public Agency Decisions

    For issues with decisions made by government bodies (e.g. NASC, MSD, Health NZ), contact the Office of the Ombudsman.

  3. 3

    Retirement Village Disputes

    Approach your village operator or Statutory Supervisor first. If unresolved, escalate to the Retirement Commissioner or file for a Disputes Panel.

  4. 4

    Elder Abuse & Safety

    For suspected financial, physical, or psychological elder abuse, contact the Elder Abuse Response Service (0800 EA NOT OK).

  5. 5

    Medicines & Pharmacies

    Direct concerns regarding prescription medicines or pharmacies to Medsafe or the Pharmaceutical Society.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

  • Complaining to the wrong agency, causing delays in dispute resolution.
  • Not documenting occurrences, dates, and communications related to the issue.

Documents & Info to Prepare

  • Incident logs with dates and descriptions.
  • Copies of correspondence with the service provider.

Key Contacts

Health and Disability Commissioner

Detail: 0800 11 22 33

Visit Health and Disability Commissioner site (opens in a new tab)

Office of the Ombudsman

Detail: 0800 802 602

Visit Office of the Ombudsman site (opens in a new tab)

Elder Abuse Response Service

Detail: 0800 32 668 65

Recorded Evidence & Documents

These are the guide's saved evidence links. They may include official guidance, historical records, community sources or research captures. Recorded class and source dates do not establish current entitlement or independently verified guidance.

Ombudsman - OPCAT Aged Care Monitoring Report

Source: Ombudsman | Type: PDF

Recorded evidence class: Not recorded

Published: 2025 | Accessed: June 2026

aged-residential-care
Open document recordOpen recorded source (opens in a new tab)

Office for Seniors - Web Capture - Elder Abuse Response Service

Source: Office for Seniors | Type: MD

Recorded evidence class: Not recorded

Published: 2026 | Accessed: June 2026

elder-abuse-safeguarding
Open document recordOpen recorded source (opens in a new tab)

Office for Seniors — Enduring Power of Attorney: two-page A4 information leaflet, March 2025

Source: Office for Seniors — Te Tari Kaumātua | Type: PDF

Recorded evidence class: Official guidance

Published: March 2025 | Accessed: June 2026

consumer-rights

Recorded evidence boundary: March 2025 introductory leaflet, two physical pages, not a five-page comprehensive legal guide, prescribed form package or standard explanation. Its simplified-language disclaimer defers to relevant legislation. Source identity and current publisher-byte match are verified, but this review does not certify every legal proposition, an individual EPA’s validity, capacity or activation, or current discounts/fees. The prior 2024-named source URL is broken; the preserved 2025 PDF filename, original hash and June 2026 access label remain unchanged. Exact first-release day is unknown; footer edition, technical production, web update and evidence-review dates are separate.

Open document recordOpen recorded source (opens in a new tab)

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