Reading List

A curated Reading List to support and extend learning from Complaints Handling for GP Receptionists and Care Navigators.

These sources cover complaint procedures, patient access expectations, complaint standards, advocacy, staff safety and the four-nations complaint routes.

1. NHS Complaints and Standards

• NHS England - Feedback and complaints about NHS services
  England guidance on how patients can give feedback or make a complaint about NHS services. Useful for explaining the route a complaint can follow without investigating at first contact.
  https://www.england.nhs.uk/contact-us/feedback-and-complaints/complaint/

• GOV.UK - The NHS Constitution for England
  Sets out patient rights and responsibilities, including the right to have complaints handled efficiently and properly investigated.
  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-nhs-constitution-for-england/the-nhs-constitution-for-england

• Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman - NHS Complaint Standards
  Standards and resources for good complaint handling in NHS organisations in England. Useful for understanding fairness, clear communication and learning from complaints.
  https://www.ombudsman.org.uk/organisations-we-investigate/complaint-standards/nhs-complaint-standards

• Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman - Good complaint handling
  Guidance on listening, managing expectations, explaining next steps and learning from complaints.
  https://www.ombudsman.org.uk/organisations-we-investigate/good-complaint-handling

2. Access, Advocacy and Staff Safety

• NHS England - You and your general practice
  Patient-facing guidance on GP access, what patients can expect from practices and how to give feedback.
  https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/you-and-your-general-practice-english/

• NHS - Someone to speak up for you: advocate
  Information on advocacy support for patients who need help raising concerns or expressing their wishes.
  https://www.nhs.uk/social-care-and-support/help-from-social-services-and-charities/someone-to-speak-up-for-you-advocate/

• NHS England - Violence prevention and reduction standard
  Guidance on preventing and reducing violence and abuse against staff, relevant where complaint contacts become abusive or threatening.
  https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/violence-prevention-and-reduction-standard/

3. Four-Nations Complaint Context

• NHS Inform Scotland - Feedback, complaints and your rights
  Scottish NHS information on patient rights when giving feedback or making a complaint.
  https://www.nhsinform.scot/care-support-and-rights/health-rights/feedback-and-complaints/feedback-complaints-and-your-rights/

• GOV.WALES - Listening to People: NHS Wales complaints, incidents and redress process
  Welsh Government guidance on raising concerns about NHS services in Wales. Concerns raised after 31 March 2026 follow Listening to People; older concerns continue under Putting Things Right.
  https://www.gov.wales/listening-people-nhs-wales-complaints-incidents-and-redress-process

• Department of Health Northern Ireland - Health and social care complaints
  Northern Ireland guidance on health and social care complaints, including public information and professional standards.
  https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/topics/health-and-social-care-complaints

Use these sources to support local complaints procedures, give clear first-contact explanations, escalate current care needs safely, and learn from repeated dissatisfaction.