You complained to the GP, hospital, or dentist. They investigated. Their answer doesn't solve the problem. Here's exactly what happens next, and by when.
The Procedure NHS Organisations Are Legally Required to Follow
Every NHS service in England must have its own complaints procedure, and the timelines aren't just good practice — they're set out in the Local Authority Social Services and NHS Complaints (England) Regulations 2009. The organisation must acknowledge your complaint no later than 3 working days after receiving it, and at that point must offer to discuss with you how the complaint will be handled and a realistic timeframe for the investigation and response. Most complaints follow a target of a full written response within around 25 working days, though genuinely complex cases can take longer — if that happens, the organisation is expected to keep you informed of the delay, not simply go quiet.
You generally have 12 months from the incident (or from when you became aware of the problem) to raise a complaint in the first place.
When the Response Doesn't Actually Resolve Anything
Receiving a written response isn't the same as the problem being fixed. If the response doesn't address your concern, doesn't include an adequate explanation or apology, or the corrective action promised doesn't materialize, you're not required to simply accept it. The response itself should explain your right to escalate if you remain unsatisfied.
Escalating to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) is the independent body that investigates complaints about NHS services in England once local resolution has been exhausted. A few things worth knowing before you escalate:
- The PHSO generally expects you to have already gone through the NHS organisation's own complaints process and received a final response — or waited a reasonable time without one — before it will get involved.
- You're generally "out of time" to bring a complaint to the PHSO if more than 12 months have passed since the events you're complaining about.
- The PHSO can investigate alongside separate legal action in some circumstances, as long as they're not investigating exactly the same issue — for example, the PHSO might look at how your complaint was handled while a separate legal claim addresses whether the treatment itself was negligent.
- The PHSO can recommend an apology, an explanation, or a change in NHS procedure — it is not primarily a mechanism for financial compensation, and if compensation is your main goal, you may be pointed toward legal action instead.
What This Means Practically
- Confirm your complaint was acknowledged within 3 working days — if it wasn't, that's already a procedural failure worth noting.
- Keep a dated record of every step: when you complained, when it was acknowledged, what timeframe you were given, and what the final response actually said.
- Don't wait past 12 months from the incident to escalate to the PHSO — this deadline is firm.
- Be clear about what outcome you actually want (an apology, a procedural change, or compensation) — this affects whether the PHSO or a separate legal route is the right next step.
Related Kibbo Tools
Sources
- Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman — NHS Complaint Standards. ombudsman.org.uk
- Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman — Good complaint handling guides. ombudsman.org.uk