Filing a complaint
Discrimination in health care
Discrimination in a physician’s office or hospital happens when a patient is treated unfairly because of their race, gender, disability, age, or other personal characteristics.
This can look like:
- A physician not taking a patient’s symptoms seriously because of their background.
- Longer wait times or being denied treatment compared to others.
- Making assumptions about a patient’s pain or health based on stereotypes.
- Not providing the right care or accommodations for a disability or language barrier.
If you think you have experienced unfair treatment, you have the right to speak up and seek help.
Complaint about discrimination
Everyone in British Columbia can expect to have respectful and fair access to medical services without discrimination.
The protects people who belong to certain protected groups, including those characterized by race, ancestry, colour, sex, sexual orientation, religion, physical or mental disability, family status, place of origin, marital status, and age.
The BC Human Rights Code prohibits discrimination in medical services. We carefully investigate complaints, whether they are submitted by the affected patient or by a family member, friend, or other concerned person.
You can help make it safer to access medical care for everyone in the province by reporting these complaints.
Refusing to treat patients violates the medical profession’s ethical principles
The Canadian Medical Association's Code of Ethics and Professionalism (2018), states that physicians must:
Refrain from discrimination based on grounds such as age, gender, medical condition, national or ethnic origin, physical or mental disability, race, religion, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status.
CPSBC registrants must provide medical care according to the expectations outlined in the following practice standards.
Access to Medical Care Without Discrimination
Indigenous Cultural Safety, Cultural Humility and Anti-racism
How to submit a complaint
You can submit a complaint on your own behalf or on behalf of someone else. If you're submitting on behalf of someone else, you must include their consent by completing our Authorization for Representation form. If the patient is unable to provide consent, a is required.
- Complaints must be submitted in writing through mail, email or fax.
- We recommend using our complaint form.
- Complaints must have the signature of the person filing the complaint.
- Complaints must have the patient’s date of birth and personal health number.
Once we receive your complaint, we will send you a letter explaining the next steps.
Do you need help with your complaint?
If you are unable to communicate in writing, we have trained staff to guide you through the process. Call us at 604-733-7758 (toll free at 1-800-461-3008).
