Who to Complain To

Clear complaint routes support safety and trust. Most issues resolve locally when concerns are heard and acted on. Some need escalation to regulators or professional bodies.^[1]

Internal and external routes

Internal complaints benefit from a simple route: who receives, how acknowledgement works, expected response times, and review stages. Accessible formats and support for those who need help to complain are important.^[1]

External options depend on the issue. Workplace H&S concerns can go to the local authority (for retail settings) or HSE.^[2] Professional concerns about registrants can go to the GOC.^[3] Criminal matters go to the police.^[5]

• What a good complaint record shows: who raised the issue; what happened; when and where; who handled it; what was decided and why; actions taken; and the date for review.^[1]

Protecting openness

Retaliation for raising concerns is unacceptable.^[4]

Staff should be encouraged to speak up early about hazards, near misses or workload pressures. An anonymous route can help, and feeding back outcomes shows that people are heard.^[4]

Using complaints and concerns to improve systems is often effective. Themes can be added to governance meetings, training adjusted, and the loop closed with those affected. Keeping tone factual and solutions-focused supports learning.^[1]

Interfaces with incidents

When a complaint overlaps with an incident, cross-referencing records rather than duplicating detail keeps documentation clear.^[5] Patient information remains confidential and is shared only as necessary to address safety and service quality.^[6]

References (numbered in text) Why we include references

1. Regulation 16: Receiving and acting on complaints — Care Quality Commission (Page last updated: 11 August 2023) Find (opens in a new tab)
2. Enforcement allocation — Health and Safety Executive Find (opens in a new tab)
3. Speaking up — General Optical Council Find (opens in a new tab)
4. The National Guardian's Office - Freedom to Speak Up Find (opens in a new tab)
5. Patient Safety Incident Response Framework — NHS England (published 23 July 2024) Find (opens in a new tab)
6. The Caldicott Principles — National Data Guardian / GOV.UK (published 8 December 2020) Find (opens in a new tab)