Responding to Patient Complaints

SJT Textbook: Responding to Patient Complaints

Responding to Patient Complaints MSRA

This guide covers the delicate art of Responding to Patient Complaints MSRA scenarios. In the Professional Dilemmas paper, you must demonstrate the ability to de-escalate dissatisfaction without being defensive, transforming a complaint into a learning opportunity.

🎥 Video Lesson (YouTube)

🎧 Podcast Lesson (Spotify / Apple / Amazon)

🎯 THE CORE PRINCIPLE

Responding to patient complaints means treating every expression of dissatisfaction as important, handling it calmly, and following your organisation’s complaints policy and the NHS Complaint Standards. You listen carefully, acknowledge the person’s concerns, and offer a sincere apology for their experience and distress.

You then explain clearly how the complaint will be handled, including timescales and who will be the contact, and signpost to PALS or equivalent support. Where you can safely fix aspects of the problem straight away (e.g., appointments, communication gaps), you do so while the formal process runs.

The SJT tests whether you remain non-defensive, avoid arguing, give accurate information about complaints processes, document concerns, and ensure learning is captured. High-scoring options show respect, clarity, and follow-through; low-scoring options dismiss, delay, or ignore complaints.

⚡ HIGH-YIELD ACTIONS (What Scores Points)

1. Thank the patient or relative and listen without interrupting to understand their concerns.
2. Offer a clear, sincere apology for their experience and distress.
3. Clarify what outcome they are hoping for and what matters most to them.
4. Explain the complaints process, timescales, and who will be their point of contact.
5. Provide PALS or equivalent contact details and offer help accessing them.
6. Fix simple issues immediately where safe (e.g., communication, scheduling, information).
7. Record the complaint accurately and follow local policy for logging and escalation.
8. Ensure the complaint is fed into governance so that learning and changes are captured.

Trap options delay, dismiss, or defend instead of listening, apologising, explaining the process, and documenting.

💬 MODEL PHRASES (Use These in SJT Logic)

* “Let me clarify your main concerns and what outcome you are hoping for, so we can address them properly.”
* “Our complaints process works like this; I will record your concerns today and you should receive an initial response by [timescale].”
* “Here are the PALS details and a named contact so you can follow progress and get support if needed.”
* “I will document what you have told me, any immediate actions we are taking today, and how we will share the learning.”

CARE+ = Clarify concerns • Apologise • Route through process (and PALS) • Explain timescales • Plus Act, Document, Learn

Use CARE+ to remember: listen and clarify first, then apologise, route and explain the process, and finally act, document, and embed learning.

📋 QUICK FAQ

Is apologising an admission of legal liability?
No. A sincere apology for the experience and distress is encouraged and is not an admission of liability. It is part of professional candour and good communication.

Who should handle a complaint formally?
The organisation’s complaints service (often via PALS or a complaints team) coordinates the process, but you have responsibilities to listen, explain, and document. Serious clinical issues must also be escalated to seniors and patient safety systems.

What should I say about timescales?
Give clear, realistic timeframes based on local and national standards, and explain how the person will receive updates (e.g., letter, phone call, or meeting).

Should I fix things before the investigation is complete?
Yes, where it is safe and appropriate to do so (for example, rebooking appointments or clarifying information). Larger system changes follow investigation and governance.

What must I document?
The concerns raised (in the person’s own words where possible), any apology given, immediate actions taken, the complaints pathway explained, timescales, named contact, PALS signposting, and where the issue will be reviewed for learning.

📚 GMC ANCHOR POINTS

* Communicate clearly, listen to patients, treat them with courtesy and respect, and respond to their concerns (GMC Good medical practice 2024).
* Be open and honest when things go wrong, including offering an apology and explaining what will be done to put matters right (GMC candour guidance).
* Contribute to systems of quality assurance and quality improvement, including learning from complaints and adverse events (GMC Good medical practice 2024).
* Keep clear, accurate, and timely records of complaints and your responses (GMC Recording information).

💡 MINI PRACTICE SCENARIO

A patient’s daughter tells you that reception staff were rude, did not call her back about blood test results, and made her feel dismissed. She is calm but clearly upset and says she wants to make a formal complaint and “does not want this to happen to anyone else.”

Best action: Thank her for raising the concern, apologise for her experience, clarify the specific issues and what outcome she is hoping for, explain the complaints process and timescales, provide PALS contact details and a named contact for updates, make any safe immediate fixes (e.g., ensuring results are communicated now), and document the complaint and actions in line with local policy.
Why: This approach combines compassion, clear information, practical action, documentation, and learning, aligning with GMC and NHS complaints standards.

🎯 KEY TAKEAWAYS

✓ A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction that deserves a response.
✓ Listen, clarify, and apologise promptly and sincerely.
✓ Explain the complaints pathway, timescales, and give a named contact and PALS.
✓ Fix safe, immediate issues now while formal processes run.
✓ Document concerns, actions and signposting, and ensure learning reaches governance.

🔗 RELATED TOPICS

* → Dealing with Errors and Complaints
* → Duty of Candour
* → Handover and Documentation
* → Raising Concerns and Whistleblowing
* → Professionalism: Communication and Respect

📖 FULL PRACTICE QUESTIONS

Example SJT — Best of 3 (8 options; choose three)

A 72-year-old man tells you that a nurse spoke to him abruptly when he asked for pain relief and that nobody explained why his discharge was delayed. He is uncomfortable, upset, and says he wants to complain about his care. He is haemodynamically stable.

Options:
A. Thank him for raising his concerns, apologise for his experience, and ask him to explain exactly what happened and what outcome he would like.
B. Tell him the ward is busy and that he should be grateful for the care he has received.
C. Explain the formal complaints process, including likely timescales, and give him PALS contact details and a named person for updates.
D. Advise him to “put it in writing to Head Office” and walk away without documenting anything.
E. Arrange appropriate pain relief now and clarify the current plan for his discharge, explaining any remaining steps.
F. Tell him you will “have a word” with the nurse and that there is no need for a formal complaint.
G. Document his concerns, your apology, the immediate actions taken, and how the complaint will be progressed in line with policy.
H. Suggest he waits to see if he still feels upset once he has gone home before making a complaint.

Example SJT — Rank 5 (best → worst)

A patient emails the clinic saying their appointment was cancelled twice at short notice and they “never get a straight answer.” They say they will complain to the Ombudsman unless something changes. You are the junior doctor in the clinic team and see the email.

Options:
A. Acknowledge the email, apologise for the repeated cancellations, explain the local complaints process and PALS, clarify what outcome they want, and ensure the complaint is logged and a new appointment is arranged promptly.
B. Forward the email to a generic inbox without comment and take no further action.
C. Reply briefly that “appointments are busy everywhere” and suggest they contact their GP instead.
D. Acknowledge the concern and apologise, arrange a new appointment, explain how to complain formally if they wish, and inform the clinic manager so the issue can be reviewed.
E. Ignore the email, assuming “management will sort it out.”

Options:
A. Full acknowledgement, apology, explanation of process, logging and practical action.
B. Passes responsibility with no assurance or clarity.
C. Defensive and unhelpful; does not address the complaint.
D. Combines apology, practical fix, process explanation, and learning route.
E. Ignores the complaint.