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Speak up and seek review

Clear routes for concerns and appeals.

We distinguish service complaints, safety incidents, regulatory matters and formal accreditation appeals.

A complaint is not the same as an accreditation appeal.Complaints address conduct or service. Eligible appeals contest specified accreditation decisions on permitted grounds.

Raise a complaint or concern

Provide enough information to identify the service, Centre or interaction. GOE will acknowledge, triage and route the matter. Safety and assessment-integrity concerns may require immediate protective action or referral.

Submit through Contact GOE and retain relevant communications.

Formal accreditation appeals

An applicant or operator may appeal an eligible rejection, condition, suspension, scope reduction, non-renewal or withdrawal. Unless a lawful country schedule specifies otherwise, notice must be received within 20 working days of the decision.

Permitted grounds include

  • Material procedural unfairness.
  • Relevant evidence was overlooked or misunderstood.
  • The decision was inconsistent with the controlling standard.
  • A material conflict of interest affected the process.
  • New evidence could not reasonably have been supplied earlier.

Independent review

Panel members disclose conflicts and cannot have participated in the original process. The panel may confirm, vary or remit the decision. An appeal does not automatically stay a safety, security or assessment-integrity suspension.