Reading List

This Reading List supports practical complaint handling in UK optical settings and is aimed at clinicians, managers, and front-of-house teams.

Core standards and optical sector

• 18. Respond to complaints effectively GOC Standard 18 sets the professional expectations for fair, timely complaint responses in optometry.
• The professional duty of candour GOC guidance on being open and honest when things go wrong, including apologising and explaining next steps.
• Dealing with complaints College of Optometrists' guidance on acknowledging, investigating, and resolving complaints in practice.
• Optical Consumer Complaints Service Independent UK mediation service for unresolved consumer complaints about opticians.
• Saying sorry NHS Resolution advice on meaningful apologies and why apologising is not an admission of liability.

NHS complaints pathways and ombudsmen

• Feedback and complaints about NHS services NHS England overview of how to raise a complaint and where to send it.
• NHS Complaint Standards PHSO standards and model procedure for consistent NHS complaint handling in England (Dec 2022).
• Making a complaint (Scotland) Scottish Public Services Ombudsman route and resources for NHS and other public services.
• NHS Wales complaints and concerns: Putting Things Right Welsh Government guidance on raising and resolving NHS concerns (May 2023).
• How to complain (Wales) Public Services Ombudsman for Wales process and support options.
• How to make a complaint (Northern Ireland) Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman route after local resolution.

Legal and regulatory basics

• The Local Authority Social Services and NHS Complaints Regulations 2009 Statutory framework for NHS complaints handling in England.
• Regulation 16: Receiving and acting on complaints CQC requirements for accessible systems and proportionate investigation of complaints.
• Regulation 20: Duty of candour CQC guidance on openness, apology, and notifications when harm occurs (May 2025).
• Consumer Rights Act 2015 Legal remedies for goods and services relevant to optical products and services.

Data protection and confidentiality

• Personal data breaches: a guide ICO guidance on assessing, recording, and reporting breaches, including 72-hour reporting.
• UK GDPR guidance and resources ICO overview of principles, accountability, and sector resources for compliance.

Accessibility and communication

• Accessible Information Standard Duties to identify, record, and meet information and communication needs.
• AIS implementation guidance Practical steps, tools, and self-assessment to comply with AIS (June 2025).

Records and learning

• Records Management Code of Practice National guidance on creating, retaining, and disposing of health and care records, including searchable retention schedules (Dec 2023 update).