How to Avoid a Complaint or Investigation

About this course

Most healthcare professionals will receive a complaint at some point in their career, and many complaints arise not from clinical failure but from poor communication, unmet expectations or perceived lack of respect. In 2024 to 2025, the NHS in England received 256,777 written complaints, 6.1 per cent more than the year before. Communication was the most common subject of complaints about hospital and community services, and clinical treatment the most common in general practice and dentistry.

This course focuses on prevention. It explains how regulators and complaints systems work, the common causes of complaints, and the everyday habits that reduce risk: competent, up-to-date practice; effective communication and managing expectations; good records; clear boundaries; respect and non-discrimination; honesty; continuous improvement; and looking after your own wellbeing. It also explains how to resolve concerns early, before they become formal complaints.

CPD Value and How to Record It:

This course is designed to provide approximately 2 hours of learning, including reading, the reflection points, the reflective account and the assessment. In the UK, CPD is generally recorded as the time actually spent learning, so you should record the time you genuinely spend, which may be more or less than the estimate.

How the course fits your revalidation or CPD requirements depends on your regulator. For example, the NMC asks nurses, midwives and nursing associates to record 35 hours of CPD over three years, of which at least 20 must be participatory; self-directed online learning such as this course usually counts as individual learning unless you complete it with others. The GMC expects doctors to reflect on CPD for appraisal and revalidation rather than setting a fixed number of hours. The HCPC, GDC, GPhC, GOC, GOsC and GCC each set their own CPD requirements, so check the current rules that apply to you. Always keep your certificate together with your written reflection.

What you will learn

• Explain the role of the regulators and how complaints are handled across the UK.
• Recognise the common causes of complaints and investigations.
• Strengthen communication and manage patients' expectations.
• Resolve concerns early and constructively.
• Keep timely, accurate records that reflect your reasoning.
• Maintain boundaries, respect and honesty in all professional relationships.
• Use continuous improvement and reflection to reduce risk.
• Recognise and manage stress and burnout.

Who this course is for

All UK healthcare professionals who want to reduce the risk of complaints and regulatory investigations.

Social workers: this cross-profession course covers principles that apply across health and social care; most worked examples come from healthcare settings.

Course content

12 sections · 2 CPD hours · 15 MCQs

Course facts

CPD value

Approximately 2 CPD hours (estimated learning time, including reflection and assessment)

Format

Self-paced reading with case illustrations, reflection points and a written reflective account

Standards covered

UK regulators' standards (GMC, NMC, GDC, HCPC, GPhC, GOC, GOsC, GCC); NHS complaints arrangements in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland; professional duty of candour

Assessment

15 scenario-based multiple-choice questions; pass mark 12 out of 15 (80%)

Questions about this course