If you are unhappy with the care you receive from a podiatrist there are a number of ways you can go about seeking an explanation.

Talk to your podiatrist about why you are unhappy with the care or advice you have received. Your podiatrist should be willing to discuss any concerns you have. You may prefer to discuss the concerns with another podiatrist in the practice or the practice manager. If you are unhappy with these responses, or you think the care you received was not of a good standard then you may:

Contact the Australian Podiatry Association of Victoria. 
The Australian Podiatry Association can assist you in your concerns if you have a complaint about a podiatrist. The APodA has an Ethics Committee that sits specifically to consider complaints from podiatrists or patients.

The purpose of the Ethics Committee is to:
- investigate the professional conduct of registered podiatric practitioners in Victoria, where they are members of the Association;

The APodA Ethics Committee can be contacted at:

Australian Podiatry Association (Victoria)
Ethics Committee
Sutie 26/456 St.Kilda Road
Melbourne, VIC 3004
tel: 03 9866 5906
fax: 03 9866 2094
email: ethics@podiatryvic.com.au

Contact the Podiatrists Registration Board of Victoria. 
This Board is a statutory authority, which is established under the Podiatrists Registration Act to protect the community from unqualified, incompetent, unprofessional or sick podiatrists.

The purpose of the Act is to:
- protect the public by registering podiatrists;
- investigate the professional conduct and fitness to practice of registered podiatric practitioners;
- regulate the advertising of podiatry services.

The Board can be contacted at:

Mr Mark Strickland, Registrar
PO Box 70
Collins Street West,
West Melbourne, VIC 8007
tel: 03 9629 5166
fax: 03 9629 5107
email: podbdvic@netspace.com.au
www:  www.podboardvic.vic.gov.au

All qualified podiatrists must register with the Board before they practise, so if you are looking for a particular podiatrist, this is the place to call.

Contact the Health Services Commissioner. 
The Health Services Commissioner is the state's health ombudsman. The purpose of the Commissioner is to provide:
- an independent and accessible review mechanism for users of health services;
- a means for reviewing and improving the quality of care.

The Commissioner conciliates complaints between patients and providers, investigates serious complaints and recommends action needed to improve health services. You may go to the Commissioner if you have a complaint about services received from dentists, medical practitioners, hospitals, physiotherapists, podiatrists, occupational therapists, social workers in a health setting, ambulances, nursing homes, hostels, supported residential services, nurses, naturopaths, acupuncturists, and other alternative practitioners.

Mrs Beth Wilson,
Health Services Commissioner
30th Floor, 570 Bourke St
Melbourne 3000
Telephone: (03) 8601 5222
Facsimile: (03) 8601 5219
Complaints: (03) 8601 5200 or 1800 136 066
Email: hsc@mira.net.au
Internet: www.health.vic.gov.au/hsc/