Communicate & challenge

Complaint planner & response checker.

A complaint should make it easier to investigate the problem, not harder. Define the issues, evidence, questions and outcome — then check whether the response actually answered them.

FreePrintableReviewed 16 August 2026

Two separate jobs: first build a complaint that can be investigated. When the response arrives, audit it against the questions you actually asked.

1. Before complaining 2. Issue schedule 3. Outcomes 4. Draft structure 5. Response checker 6. Decide next step

1. Before complaining

Right organisation?Who made the decision or controls the remedy?

Right route?Is this a complaint, review, appeal, PALS issue, school process or another route?

Deadline?Do not let a complaint distract from a separate appeal or statutory deadline.

Desired outcome?What could this organisation realistically do?

2. Build an issue schedule

One row per issue. This gives the investigator something concrete to answer.

#	What happened?	What should have happened?	Evidence	Question requiring an answer
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

3. What outcome are you asking for?

Possible practical remedies

A decision reviewed by the correct person.
A clear explanation of the evidence and policy used.
An inaccurate record corrected or properly qualified.
A delayed action completed.
An apology or acknowledgement.
A policy/process improvement or staff learning.

Keep it realistic

A complaint handler may not have power to award the exact service, placement, diagnosis or clinical outcome you want. Separate the complaint remedy from any substantive decision that belongs to another route.

The outcome I am asking this organisation for

4. Simple complaint structure

Purpose

Say that this is a complaint and identify the decision/service.

Issues

Number the individual complaint points.

Evidence

Reference the documents that matter rather than attaching everything.

Questions

Ask what you need the investigation to determine or explain.

Outcome

State the remedy or action you are seeking.

5. Did they actually answer you?

PHSO's NHS Complaint Standards expect a final response to set out the issues, explain how they were investigated, present the evidence considered, explain whether something went wrong and what happens next.

Your issue / question	Where answered?	Evidence considered?	Finding / reason?	Remedy / learning?	Still unanswered?

6. Decide the next step

What has now been resolved?

What remains unanswered, and is it material?

What route is actually available next?

Check the organisation's final response and the relevant rules. Do not assume every disagreement has another appeal stage.

Sources & review

Last reviewed: 16 August 2026. This resource is practical information for England, not legal or clinical advice. Check the linked source if your situation turns on a deadline, appeal right or legal interpretation.

PHSO — writing a final response letter PHSO — writing and communicating the final response NHS England — feedback and complaints about NHS services

Use this with

Keep the evidence connected to the next action.