Why File a Complaint

Examples of Situations Justifying a Complaint

You may file a complaint with the Québec Ombudsman if you believe you have been improperly treated by a Québec government ministry or agency.

You may also file a complaint if you are not satisfied with the services to which you believe you are entitled or if you believe that an authority within the health and social services network has not respected your rights as a user of its services.

These rights include:

The right to be informed about the health and social services and resources available in your community and the conditions governing access to such services and resources;
The right to receive health and social services that are scientifically, humanly, and socially appropriate, providing continuity in a personalized and safe manner consistent with available resources;
The right to choose the professional or institution providing the service, taking into account how services are organized at the institution and the availability of the resources;
The right to be informed about the status of your health and welfare, the options available in light of your condition, and the risks and consequences associated with each, before consenting to treatment;
The right to consent to or refuse treatment;
The right to participate in any decisions affecting your situation;
The right to receive appropriate emergency care;
The right to be accompanied or assisted by a person of your choice when seeking to obtain information on available services or when filing a complaint;
The right to access your user’s file;
The right to English-language services for anglophones, to the extent provided for in the regional access program for such services.

In the health and social services sector, the Québec Ombudsman intervenes only as a second recourse. Information about the complaints process in the health and social services sector.