Complaints
UK sources of information and / or support
Department of Health - Complaints
Information on the complaints procedure for the NHS, social services and Department of Health.
NHS Main site
Has a section called Raising concerns and making complaints.
Health Service Ombudsman
Do you have a complaint about the service you have received from the NHS? The Health Service Ombudsman can help you.
Patients Association
Listening to patients and speaking up for change.
Scotland Patients Association
Providing patients with an opportunity to raise concerns about healthcare
General Medical Council
The General Medical Council (GMC) is the independent regulator for doctors in the UK. It helps sets protect patients by setting standards for the practice of medicine and dealing firmly and fairly with doctors when those standards are not maintained. Sections of their website are specifically designed to help you if you wish to make a complaint about a doctor. These include:
Patients’ help microsite:
English (Flash): www.gmc-uk.org/concerns/making_a_complaint/3841.asp
English (HTML): www.gmc-uk.org/concerns/making_a_complaint/home_en.asp
Welsh (Flash): www.gmc-uk.org/concerns/making_a_complaint/3843.asp
Welsh (HTML): www.gmc-uk.org/concerns/making_a_complaint/home_cy.asp
Specific booklets (in pdf)
How to complain about a doctor (England):
English: www.gmc-uk.org/How_to_complain_ENG.pdf_30097130.pdf
English (easy read): www.gmc-uk.org/How_to_complain_Easy_Read.pdf_30096331.pdf
Arabic: www.gmc-uk.org/How_to_complain_doctor__A.pdf_30095714.pdf
Bengali: www.gmc-uk.org/How_to_complain_doctor__B.pdf_30095712.pdf
Chinese: www.gmc-uk.org/How_to_complain_doctor__C.pdf_30097126.pdf
Gujarati: www.gmc-uk.org/How_to_complain_doctor_G.pdf_30096824.pdf
Hindi: www.gmc-uk.org/How_to_complain_doctor_H.pdf_30096626.pdf
Punjabi: www.gmc-uk.org/How_to_complain_doctor_P.pdf_30097128.pdf
Urdu: www.gmc-uk.org/How_to_complain_doctor_U.pdf_30096826.pdf
How to complain about a doctor (Northern Ireland):
How to complain about a doctor (Scotland)
How to complain about a doctor (Wales):
English: www.gmc-uk.org/How_to_complain_WALES.pdf_30097134.pdf
Welsh: www.gmc-uk.org/How_to_complain_WALES_welsh.pdf_30096628.pdf
Complaint forms:
English: www.gmc-uk.org/complaint_form_english.pdf_33946841.pdf
Arabic: www.gmc-uk.org/Complaint_Form_Arabic.pdf_25416980.pdf
Bengali: www.gmc-uk.org/Complaint_Form_Bengali.pdf_25416206.pdf
Chinese (simplified): www.gmc-uk.org/Complaint_form_chinese_simplyfied.pdf_33947450.pdf
Chinese (traditional): www.gmc-uk.org/complaint_form_chineise_tc_new.pdf_33946742.pdf
Gujarati: www.gmc-uk.org/complaint_form_singles_Gujarati.pdf_25416799.pdf
Hindi: www.gmc-uk.org/Complaint_Form_Hindi.pdf_25416698.pdf
Punjabi: www.gmc-uk.org/Complaint_Form_Punjabi.pdf_25416981.pdf
Urdu: www.gmc-uk.org/Complaint_Form_Urdu.pdf_25416207.pdf
Welsh: www.gmc-uk.org/complaint_form_Welsh.pdf_25404461.pdf
Online complaint forms
English: https://www.gmc-uk.org/patient_online_complaints/
Welsh: https://www.gmc-uk.org/patient_online_complaints/welsh/
Optical Consumer Complaints Service
An independent body set up to settle complaints from members of the public who are not satisfied with the services received from an optometrist.
Dental Complaints Service
Set up by the General Dental Council. Helps patients and dental professionals resolve complaintsabout private dental services. NHS patients have had access to the NHS complaints process for years. This service provides a complaints resolution service for those who are treated privately.
See also the Patient UK advocacy page and legal page.