Department of Health

Website of the Department of Health

Please note that this website has a UK government access keys system.

Non-early adopters

These organisations will continue to operate their current complaints procedures until the switch over to new arrangements in 2009.  However, there will be lots of information coming out of the early adopter sites via this website and regular communications to all health and social care bodies in England, which these organisations can use to start to develop their own practice and gear up for the changes to the legislation in 2009.  There will also be opportunities for complaints managers, PALS managers and others connected with complaint handling across health and social care to share experience and practice and support each other through the Voices for Improvement Action Network (VIAN).  

Some useful resources

Supporting staff, improving services - guidance to support implementation of the: National Health Service (Complaints) Amendment Regulations 2006

Guidance on changes to the NHS complaints regulation in force from 1 September 2006, . The changes are designed to make the complaints procedure clearer and easier to access for those who need it. The amendments to the NHS complaints procedure take them into closer alignment with the changes to the Social Care complaints procedures. TO NOTE: As these are amendments they do not supersede the National Health Service (Complaints) Regulations 2004 No. 1768.

Guidance to support implementation of the National Health Service (Complaints) Regulations 2004

This guidance complements the National Health Service (Complaints) Regulations 2004 No.1768, which, along with the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003 provides the statutory framework for the NHS complaints procedure. The Regulations came into force on Friday July 30 2004. The guidance updates Complaints, Listening... Acting... Improving: Guidance on implementation of the NHS Complaints Procedure, issued in 1996.

Healthcare Commission complaints toolkit

This toolkit has been developed to offer advice and assistance to NHS bodies and primary care providers on best practice in handling complaints at a local level. It will also help trusts to ensure they have the right procedures in place to meet Core Standard 14.

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