Lodging a complaint

 

If you have concerns and are dissatisfied with the professional care you have received from a New Brunswick optometrist, first discuss your concerns with your optometrist.

If your attempts to resolve the problem are unsuccessful, a formal complaint may be lodged by submitting a written and signed letter of complaint to the Registrar of the New Brunswick Association of Optometrists (NBAO).

You must provide your consent to allow the College to access your patient optometric file and to investigate the situation.

 

STEP 1:

Submit a detailed summary of the specific complaint to the Registrar of the NBAO. Only complaints received in writing will be reviewed and processed.

 

Please mail your written complaint to:

The Registrar

New Brunswick Association of Optometrists

490 Gibson St, Unit 1

Fredericton, NB, E3A 4E9

 

Please insure that all pertinent details are included in your letter including:

  • Name of the optometrist and clinic name
  • Clinic location
  • Date(s) of service(s)
  • Fee(s) involved
  • Name of witness or witnesses (if any)
  • Any other relevant details pertaining to the event

 

STEP 2:

Upon receipt of your written complaint, the Registrar shall notify the optometrist named in the complaint, as well as the NBAO Complaints Committee. The optometrist will be requested to provide their account of the situation and to provide relevant information concerning the issue.  The optometrist will be given a reasonable time period (at least 2 weeks) to respond to the complaint.

 

Once the Complaints Committee has reviewed all of the information submitted by the complainant and the named optometrist, members of the Complaints Committee may contact both parties involved in the complaint in an attempt to mediate a mutually satisfactory resolution to the problem.

 

STEP 3:

The Complaints Committee, in accordance with the information it received, may

  1. direct that the matter be referred, in whole or in part, to the Discipline Committee,
  2. direct that the matter not be referred to the Discipline Committee, or
  3. take such action, including peer review, as it considers appropriate in the circumstances to resolve the complaint, provided that such action is not inconsistent with the Optometry Act or the By-laws.

 

STEP 4:

The Complaints Committee shall give its decision with reasons in writing to the Registrar. The complaint process can take several months depending on the complexity of the complaint.   Each situation is investigated thoroughly and the patient and optometrist are informed of the recommendations and outcome as soon as possible.

 

NOTE:

If you are not satisfied with the decision of the Complaints Committee, you may decide to seek legal advice.

 

If the complaint is directed to the Discipline Committee, and where the Discipline Committee finds the member guilty of professional misconduct or incompetence, a copy of the decision shall be given to the person complaining.