Making a complaint
Sometimes you may have concerns about the care or treatment you have received. Or things may not go as expected. This can be distressing, and you might feel angry and upset.
Often, the first and easiest way to sort things out is to speak with the people involved. If you feel comfortable, try speaking to your doctor or consultant. Or talk to a nurse or member of your healthcare team.
If you can't sort out problems by talking to your healthcare team, you might want to make a complaint.
Some people find it more helpful to speak to someone for guidance on what to do first. There are independent confidential services that can help you resolve the issue with your hospital. They can also support you if you choose to make a formal complaint.
Depending on where you live, they are called:
the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) – England
the Patient Advice and Support Service – Scotland
the Patient and Client Council – Northern Ireland
Llais – Wales
An advocate is someone who can support you and help you if you want to make a complaint.
They can help you:
understand information
explain your options
express your views and concerns
get support through the complaints process
Read more about who can help with a complaint?
The NHS has a complaints procedure. You can make a complaint using this procedure if you are the patient. You can also complain on behalf of someone else. But you might need their consent if they are able to provide this. The hospital or medical practice needs to agree that you can represent the person.
The first step is to contact the complaints manager. There is usually one in every hospital and large medical practice. They will give you a copy of the complaints procedure.
You can complain directly to the NHS service that cared for you. For example, your GP surgery or dental practice. You can also complain to your local integrated care board (ICB), which plans and pays for most NHS services in your area.
If you make a complaint, your care will not be affected. And you should be supported throughout the complaints procedure.
You should make a complaint as soon as you can. Generally, it is best to do so within 12 months of the event or as soon as you find out there's a problem. But you might have reasons for not complaining within the time limit. In that case, the complaints manager can extend it.
You can make a complaint by speaking to someone (a verbal complaint), or by writing a letter or email. It is important to keep a record of a complaint. It is easier if it's in writing.
you can address your letter or email to the complaints manager. Or if you can't find out who that is, address it to the Chief Executive of the hospital. You can also address it to the manager of the clinic or health centre. Your letter or email should include:
information on the issue you’re complaining about
when and where it happened
information on the people involved and their job or position
information about what you’ve already done – for example, whether you have already spoken to someone
questions you would like them to answer
what you’d like to happen
your name, address and contact details
Ask the complaints manager to investigate it as part of the NHS complaints procedure.
They should let you know that they have received your complaint. This is usually around 3 working days of receiving it. They will tell you when to expect the results of the investigation. How long this takes depends on what the complaint is about and how complicated it is.
You will usually receive a written response. This is once the people involved have looked at your complaint. If there are any delays, the investigators should let you know the reason why.
If you are not satisfied with the response to your complaint, you can ask the organisation to review it again. If you are still unhappy, you may be able to complain to the Ombudsman.
The Ombudsman is independent of the NHS and Government. They can make a final decision about your complaint.
You can contact:
Some people may want to seek legal advice if they're not satisfied with the result of the Ombudsman.
Before taking any legal action, it is important to think about the stress involved and the cost. It can be costly and could take a long time. If you decide to do this, you will need a solicitor who specialises in medical claims.
You can get information about solicitors from:
your local Citizens Advice
the Law Society of England and Wales
the Law Society of Scotland
the Law Society of Northern Ireland
To complain about private treatment, it often helps to ask the manager. They can tell you about their complaints procedure. You can also ask the healthcare insurance company for advice if they pay for your care.
Many private healthcare providers are members of the Independent Sector Complaints Adjudication Service (ISCAS). If you are not satisfied with the response to your complaint, you can contact the ISCAS. They may be able to help by reviewing the complaint and making a final decision.
If your private treatment was paid for by the NHS, you can use the NHS complaints procedure.
You can also use the NHS complaints procedure if you want to complain about anything to do with the referral by the NHS. For example, if the referral took a long time.
Some people prefer not to complain but would like to provide feedback about their care.
Care Quality Commission - England
Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority – Northern Ireland
Healthcare Improvement Scotland - Scotland
Healthcare Inspectorate Wales - Wales
You can also give feedback and read about other people's experiences on the Care Opinion website. The site helps the NHS and private hospitals find out what people think about their services.
Last reviewed: 12 Oct 2026
Next review due: 12 Oct 2029
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