Complaints about South Australian health workers have increased almost 30 per cent in the past year, a report shows.

The Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (AHPRA) annual report, tabled in parliament last month, states 793 “notifications” or complaints were made about registered health workers in 2013-14 compared with 616 the previous year.

There were 51 cases with evidence of immediate risk to patients and professional boards intervened to sanction practitioners. Of these, 12 cases resulted in the suspension of the practitioner’s registration.

AHPRA accounts for private and public health services.

In the report AHPRA state managers Dr Richenda Webb and Ms Diana Newcombe said the agency was keeping an eye the consistent increase in reports.

“We are monitoring this, both locally and nationally, to better understand the causes and make sure we respond effectively,” the report says.

In 2013-14 AHPRA SA trialled new approaches to complaint management including:

• Triage of notifications to ensure “serious matters are escalated and dealt with swiftly” for public safety.
• A review of long-term investigations and
• Appointment of a coordinator to progress health assessments for potentially impaired practitioners.

Locally 90 per cent of all notifications were made in four professions: medical, nursing and midwifery, dental and psychology and 36 per cent of complaints  (285) were about clinical care. Other complaints regarded behaviour, confidentiality, health impairment and infection or hygiene.

The 29 per cent increase in complaints is well above the national trend of a 16 per cent increase but represents a small percentage of all 51,352 registered practitioners in South Australia.

More than 420 reports were received by the SA Medical Board of Australia, which represents general and specialised practitioners. This was almost double the number of complaints from 2012-13 (275 notifications).

A Medical Board of Australia spokesperson said the steady growth in notifications could be attributed to greater awareness.

“The scheme is in its fourth year. With each year we would expect there to be a growth in understanding of how to make a notification and therefore an upwards trend in the number of notifications each year.”

SA Health said the management of complaints was a priority for state operators.

“These complaints are taken seriously and are investigated or passed on to the appropriate body to investigate,” a spokesman said.

“SA Health has robust processes in place to enable staff and patients to notify us if they have a complaint.”

Shadow Health Minister Stephen Wade said public health professionals were working “under constant stress and mistakes are more likely” and had given feedback as such at the recent Transforming Health Summit.

“The 60 per cent increase in complaints in South Australia in the last two years is well above the national increase and reflects growing public concern with our health system.”

The agency now covers 16 professions including Chinese medicine practitioners, radiation practitioners, chiropractors, dental practitioners, nurses and midwives.

AHPRA said anyone with concern about the health, conduct or performance of their health practitioner is encouraged to make a notification via the AHPRA website.