The Aged Care Commissioner advocates for quality health and disability services on behalf of older people and their whānau wherever and whenever needed – in their home, primary care, community care, care home, or public/private hospitals.

The Aged Care Commissioner provides oversight of the aged-care sector, giving older people and their whānau more confidence in the quality and safety of aged-care services.

Being able to access safe, quality health care is not only essential to older people’s wellbeing, but is a fundamental right, protected by the Code.

The Aged Care Commissioner makes statutory decisions on complaints and formal investigations into older people’s health and disability services, to protect their rights under the Code.

Role and responsibilities of the Aged Care Commissioner

• Advocates for quality of health and disability services on behalf of older people and their whānau.
• Provides strategic oversight and leadership to drive quality improvement.
• Monitors the responsiveness of the health and disability system to the needs of older people.
• Analyses emerging issues and reports on improvements in the aged-care sector.
• Supports the Government’s commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

The Aged Care Commissioner does not have responsibility for issues such as family violence (eg, elder abuse), housing, or retirement income, but does work with agencies who are involved in this work to ensure that older people have access to support.

The Aged Care Commissioner is supported by a team within HDC. Having a dedicated team whose focus will be not just on complaints, but also to advise, champion and monitor improvement in health and disability services, will be a vital contribution to better outcomes for older people.

Read more about the aged care team here.

Making a complaint

Do you, or someone you know, have concerns about a health or disability service? The earlier you raise your concerns, the more straightforward they can be to resolve.