Skills for Handling Complaints

Skill, not volume, moves complaints to resolution. Empathy, clarity, and neutrality protect dignity and help prevent escalation.^[1][3]

Empathy and active listening

Allow the person to finish without interruption. Naming the emotion ("I can hear you're frustrated") helps separate feeling from fact. Open questions create space; a plain-language summary checks accuracy. Jargon is avoided unless necessary, and when used it is explained once.^[3][4]

Avoiding defensiveness

Defensiveness closes learning. Teams often replace "That's not what happened" with "Let me check the records so I can give you a clear answer." Tone stays steady, blame is avoided, and focus remains on what will happen next. Where policy constrained a choice, the reason is explained and alternatives are looked at.^[1][4]

Helpful phrases under pressure:

• "Thank you for telling us";
• "Let me play back what I've heard";
• "Here is what we can do today";
• "If I'm unable to meet that time, I'll update you before the deadline."

Explaining process and setting expectations

Outlining steps - acknowledgement, investigation, response, and escalation - helps people feel informed.^[1]

Give dates and stick to them.

^[1]

If a case is complex, scheduling updates even when there is no news prevents silence feeling like avoidance.^[1]

Cultural and accessibility awareness

Checking for interpreters, large-print needs, or preferred communication channels supports inclusion. Adjusting pace and providing written summaries can help. Assumptions based on age, accent, disability, or spend are avoided.^[2]

• Two tools to standardise: a one-page reception script for first contact and an acknowledgement template that lists issues, timelines, and a named contact.^[1]

Keeping the team aligned

Briefing the team discreetly ensures front-of-house messages match the investigator's plan. A single point of contact reduces duplication. Where staff are named in the complaint, they receive support and clear guidance on process and timelines.^[1]

Boundaries and safety

Interactions that become abusive can be ended while preserving the right to complain. Calm scripts, written routes, and asking a colleague to take over can help. Document why the boundary was set and the alternative offered.^[6][5]

Closing with dignity

Even when outcomes are not what the person hoped for, respect and clarity reduce lasting harm. Sharing learning steps taken shows impact beyond the individual case. Further questions remain welcome, and the escalation route is confirmed clearly.^[1][3]

References (numbered in text) Why we include references

1. Principles of Good Complaint Handling | Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman Find (opens in a new tab)
2. Accessible Information Standard – implementation guidance | NHS England Find (opens in a new tab)
3. Physicians' empathy and clinical outcomes for diabetic patients | Academic Medicine — Mohammadreza Hojat; Daniel Z. Louis; Fred W. Markham; Richard Wender; Carol Rabinowitz; Joseph S. Gonnella. 2011 Find (opens in a new tab)
4. Verbal De-escalation of the Agitated Patient: Consensus Statement of the American Association for Emergency Psychiatry Project BETA De-escalation Workgroup | Western Journal of Emergency Medicine — Janet S Richmond; Jon S Berlin; Avrim B Fishkind; Garland H Holloman Jr; Scott L Zeller; Michael P Wilson; Muhamad Aly Rifai; Anthony T Ng. 2012 Find (opens in a new tab)
5. De‐escalation techniques for managing non‐psychosis induced aggression in adults | Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews — Sally Spencer; Paula Johnson; Ian C Smith. 2018 Find (opens in a new tab)
6. Violence prevention and reduction standard | NHS England. 2024 Find (opens in a new tab)