Responding to complaints

Nobody likes receiving a complaint or dealing with an unhappy person. It can feel like a direct attack on all the hard work teams are doing, especially when services are already under pressure from underfunding, staffing challenges and the constant drive to remain compliant.

However, we need to change how we view complaints. Feedback should be welcomed, people should be thanked for raising concerns, and responses should be handled sensitively with a clear learning culture in mind.

What is a complaint

A complaint is a statement that something is wrong or unsatisfactory. Complaints can be received in many ways, verbally, in writing, or through conversations where someone expresses dissatisfaction. Not every complaint arrives neatly labelled as one. That does not make it any less important. Complaints processes should also be accessible and clearly explained to people using the service and those acting on their behalf, including consideration of communication needs and support where required.

Regulatory requirements

Regulation 16 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 Regulated Activities Regulations 2014 focuses on receiving and acting on complaints. To meet this regulation, providers must have an effective and accessible system for identifying, receiving, handling and responding to complaints from people using the service, people acting on their behalf, or other stakeholders. All complaints must be investigated thoroughly and appropriate action taken where failures are identified. Unlike some regulations, this one is fairly clear. Providers are expected to take complaints seriously, respond properly and demonstrate learning and improvement.

Why do we receive complaints

In health and social care we provide a service. Whether that service is paid for privately or publicly funded, people are receiving support that matters deeply to them or their loved ones. Complaints usually arise because expectations have not been met, communication has broken down, or someone feels unheard. They are rarely about one single issue and often highlight wider system or process problems.

Do

Thank the person or people for raising the concern
Acknowledge and respond in line with your complaints policy
Be clear about timeframes for responses and escalation
Maintain a clear and robust complaints log including key dates, communication and outcomes
Investigate each point thoroughly
Apologise where it is clear expected standards were not met
Log minor concerns or grumbles as these often escalate if ignored
Hand the complaint to another senior colleague if it names you or creates a conflict

Complaints should feed into wider governance systems such as audits, quality meetings, training and service improvement plans.

Do not

Take feedback personally
Respond defensively or argumentatively
Focus on whether you agree or disagree with the points raised

Final thoughts

Just as we should share compliments and recognise what is working well, it is equally important to keep clear records of what has not gone so well. The key is not the mistake itself, but what has been done to put things right and reduce the risk of it happening again.

Complaints and concerns should be analysed regularly in the same way as incidents. When you step back and look at the bigger picture, themes and patterns often become clear. Share complaints and learning with your team. Be open about what needs to improve and what actions are expected. When handled well, complaints are not a sign of failure, but evidence of a service that listens and learns.

Responding to complaints