Information for patients, families and friends

To make a complaint about the standards of care you or a loved one have received in the NHS, you should raise the matter with the care provider in the first instance. Every organisation should have an individual complaints procedure which you should follow.

Patient Advice and Liaison Services normally operate in every trust and they will be able to offer you advice and support.

If you are unhappy about the outcome of any of these local-level procedures, you can also write to the Parliamentary and Health Services Ombudsman.

If your complaint is about a nurse or a midwife, because you feel their fitness to practice has been impaired, please follow local procedures in the first instance. After following these procedures and if your situation has still not been resolved, contact the NMC to specifically complain about a nurse or midwife.

If you have a concern about an independent provider, ask them about their complaints policy. Many independent providers are members of the Independent Healthcare Advisory Services and they can also provide more information about complaints.

If you have a complaint about a care home, ask your care provider for a copy of the complaints procedure. If this local-level approach fails, you can contact the Local Government Ombudsman.

The Care Quality Commission is the independent regulator for all health and adult social care services in England, whether provided by the NHS, local authorities, private companies or voluntary organisations. While they cannot investigate individual complaints, they will be keen to hear about your experiences.

If your complaint relates to a nurse employed by an agency, who has provided personal care in your home (or that of a loved one), you should complain to the agency in the first instance. Failing this, and if your complaint relates to a registered nurse, you should contact the NMC (see above).