About us

The Office of the Ombudsman and Health Complaints Commissioner administers two Official Visitor Programs. These are the Mental Health Official Visitors Program and the Prison Official Visitors Program.

Mental Health Official Visitors check on the care and treatment of patients in State-run mental health hospitals and other approved facilities, and can receive complaints from patients.

Prison Official Visitors make monthly visits to State correctional facilities to enquire into the treatment, behaviour and conditions of prisoners and detainees. They aim to resolve any complaints received during their visits through discussions with prison management.

Coordinator of the Official Visitors program

Dr Grant Davies is the Principal Mental Health Official Visitor and Coordinator of the Prison Official Visitors Scheme.

Dr Davies was appointed to the role when he became Tasmania’s Ombudsman and Health Complaints Commissioner in July 2025. He brings over 25 years of experience in public service, with a strong background in complaints resolution and health oversight.

Before this role, Dr Davies served as South Australia’s Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner from 2018. He has also held senior positions in Victoria, including Deputy Commissioner and Health Services Commissioner in the Office of the Health Services Commissioner, and Director of Projects at Safer Care Victoria.

Dr Davies began his career as a registered nurse in general and radiation oncology settings, and in acute palliative care units. He later contributed to health policy development in Queensland and Victoria, and held national roles in aged care oversight, including as Investigations Manager at the Federal Office of the Aged Care Commissioner.

He joined the Research Centre for Palliative Care, Death and Dying (RePaDD) at Flinders University in 2019.

Dr Davies holds a Bachelor of Nursing (ACU), a Master of Arts (Research) (QUT), and a PhD (Melbourne) in applied ethics. He is also a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

In addition, Dr Davies is Tasmania’s Custodial Inspector, Ombudsman - Energy, de facto Tasmanian Information and Privacy Commissioner, and Tasmania’s National Preventive Mechanism (NPM).