The guide explains how to write a good final response to a complaint.
It explains how to make clear in your final response:
- that you have understood the complaint and what the person wanted to achieve
- what you have investigated
- how you have investigated it
- how you have decided whether or not something has gone wrong
- that you have understood the impact of any failing
- what will happen as a result of the complaint
- if the person is not happy and wants to take the matter further, what the person can do next.
This guide is one of the Good complaint handling series, designed to help you meet the expectations in the NHS Complaint Standards. Read it alongside the Model complaint handling procedure and other Good complaint handling guides.
What standards and regulations are relevant to this guide?
- The Complaint Standards set out expectations to help you deliver good complaint handling in your organisation.
- The Local Authority Social Services and National Health Service Complaints (England) Regulations 2009 set out what the law says you must do.
Giving fair and accountable responses
- Organisations support and encourage staff to be open and honest when things have gone wrong or where improvements can be made. Staff recognise the need to be accountable for their actions and to identify what learning can be taken from a complaint. They are clear about how the learning will be used to improve services and support staff.
- Wherever possible, staff explain why things went wrong and identify suitable ways to put things right for people. Staff give meaningful and sincere apologies and explanations that openly reflect the impact on the people concerned.
- Staff make sure they tell people about their right to complain to the Ombudsman if they are not satisfied with the final written response at the end of the organisation’s complaint process.
- Regulation 14 states that the final response letter must be in writing and signed by your organisation’s responsible person (or their delegate). The final response must explain how you considered the complaint and the conclusions you reached, including actions you will take as a result of the complaint. It must also explain how the person who has made the complaint can approach the Ombudsman if they remain unhappy.
- Regulation 15 says that if the person complaining has agreed, you can send the final response electronically.
What you need to do
Your final written response is important because it sets out your organisation’s position on the complaint. It should help the person making the complaint understand what has happened before reassuring them either:
- that having looked into the matter carefully, you have found that nothing went wrong, or
- that where you find that something has gone wrong, you acknowledge and accept this.
It is also your chance to:
- show that you understand what impact any failings have had
- explain how you will put things right for them and potentially for other users of the service.
This will help the person see that making the complaint has been worthwhile and that your organisation listens and learns from what people who use your service have to say.
It is important to use plain English, especially when writing to the public. The NHS content style guide aims for a reading age of 9 to 11 wherever possible. You need to make sure the person you are writing to is able to understand the letter you send. As a rule of thumb, use shorter words, shorter sentences, and shorter paragraphs where possible.
Find out more
The Plain English Campaign letter and report writing guidance.
The NHS content style guide: How we write
Your letter must meet the communication needs of the person who has complained.
- If the person needs the letter translated into another language, or in an alternative format, such as braille, easy-read or an audio recording, provide this.
- Where you can, use the language and words they have used in their original complaint and in conversations with you. For example, if they say ‘my mother’ rather than ‘Mrs Smith’, reflect this in your letter.
- Make sure your language shows empathy. As you write, keep in mind the person you are writing to.
Ask yourself ‘Would I be happy if a member of my family received a letter like this?’.
The final response needs to describe the investigation into the complaint and set out what, if anything, will happen next:
- Make it clear that the investigation is complete.
- Tell the person that they can approach the Ombudsman if they are still unhappy.
- Remind them that if they decide to take things further, they can get support from an independent NHS complaints advocacy service.
- Remember to send a copy of your response to anyone supporting the person making the complaint if they have asked for this and consented to you doing so. For example, their independent NHS complaints advocate.
| 1. Set out the issues and what the person wanted to achieve. |
| 2. Set out how you have investigated. |
| 3. Explain if something has gone wrong or not by comparing ‘what happened’ with ‘what should have happened’. |
| 4. Set out your conclusion about the service provided. |
| 5. Explain any failings and the impact they have had. |
| 6. If there are failings, give a meaningful apology. |
| 7. Explain how you will put things right for them. |
| 8. If something did go wrong, explain how you will put things right for other service users. |
| 9. Explain how you will keep the person involved and updated. |
| 10. Make it clear this is your final response and signpost the person to the Ombudsman |
Read our step-by-step guide on what to include in a final response letter.
| Don’t say: |
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| Do say: |
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Find out more
For more advice on how to make an apology, see:
Guide on how to make a good apology (Scottish Public Services Ombudsman)
Guidance on saying sorry (NHS Resolution)
Use this sample copy to signpost people to to the Ombudsman:
If you are not happy with how we have dealt with your complaint and would like to take the matter further, you can contact the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.
The Ombudsman is an independent organisation that makes final decisions on complaints that have not been resolved by the NHS, government departments and some other public organisations. Our service is free for everyone.
There is a time limit for making your complaint to the Ombudsman, so make sure you do this as soon as possible.
To take a complaint to the Ombudsman, or to find out more about the service, go to www.ombudsman.org.uk or call 0345 015 4033.