Complaints Handling in Health and Social Training Course

Handling complaints well is one of the most important skills you can bring to your role. Complaints aren’t just problems to be fixed; they’re opportunities to improve the services you deliver, build trust with people who use your services, and strengthen team communication.

This free complaints handling online course is designed to help you feel confident in managing complaints in health and social care settings. From understanding why people complain to exploring how complaints can drive service improvements, this training gives you practical tools to handle challenging situations calmly and effectively.

Every complaint tells a story. By listening and responding fairly, you not only resolve issues but also help improve services for everyone. This course equips you to do just that.

Why Take This Course?

Complaints are a natural part of delivering care. Whether they stem from unmet expectations, gaps in communication, or practical challenges, the way you respond can make all the difference. Good complaints handling isn’t just about solving the issue at hand—it’s about recognising the opportunity to learn, grow, and show people that their concerns matter.

Here’s why this course is perfect for you:

• Improve your communication skills: Learn how to stay calm, clear, and empathetic when handling complaints, even in emotionally charged situations.
• Recognise why people complain: Complaints often come from frustration or unmet expectations. Understand the root causes so you can respond with the right approach.
• Resolve issues effectively: You’ll explore step-by-step processes to investigate problems, find solutions, and move situations forward.
• See the bigger picture: Complaints don’t just highlight problems—they show you areas where services can improve. By approaching them with the right mindset, you can bring about lasting, positive changes.
• Ensure fairness and accessibility: Discover how to make complaints processes open and inclusive for everyone, and meet UK legal standards for fair investigations.

No matter your role in health or social care, this free training gives you skills you can use every day. Turning complaints into opportunities to strengthen service delivery benefits everyone.

Complaints Handling in Health and Social Care – Course Content Outline

Module 1: Understanding Complaints in Health and Social Care
Learners will define what constitutes a complaint, why effective complaints handling is vital for quality improvement, and how complaints can be reframed as opportunities to learn and improve.

Module 2: Why People Complain
This module explores the common reasons people complain, including dissatisfaction with care, communication failures, or unmet expectations. Learners will also understand the emotional and practical factors driving complaints.

Module 3: The Complaints Process
Learners will examine the key stages of complaint handling: acknowledgment, investigation, and resolution. The module highlights the importance of clear communication and identifies the elements of a successful outcome.

Module 4: Recognising Customer Needs and Characteristics
This module explains why understanding the needs of people who complain is essential. Learners will explore strategies for managing difficult or emotional complainants with professionalism and empathy.

Module 5: Handling Complaints Effectively
Learners will review best practices for managing complaints, from accurate documentation to service recovery. They will also learn how to maintain trust and demonstrate accountability when things go wrong.

Module 6: Feedback and Continuous Improvement
This module highlights how feedback and complaints data can be used to identify trends, implement changes, and create a culture of openness and improvement within services.

Module 7: Legal and Organisational Requirements
Learners will explore the UK’s legal framework for complaints handling, including the 2009 Complaints Regulations and the Care Act 2014. The roles of the Responsible Person, Complaints Manager, and regulatory bodies (PHSO, LGSCO) will be covered.

Module 8: Accessibility, Fairness, and Independence
This module focuses on making complaints procedures accessible to all service users and ensuring fairness, impartiality, and independence in investigations.

Module 9: Time Limits and Escalation
Learners will review the statutory time limits for submitting and responding to complaints and the processes for escalating unresolved issues to external bodies such as the PHSO or LGSCO.

Module 10: Supporting and Respecting Complainants
The final module stresses the importance of supporting people throughout the process. Learners will develop skills in providing assistance, advocacy, and respectful communication to ensure complainants feel valued and heard.

Learning Outcomes

Handling complaints is more than just “putting out fires.” It’s about building trust, resolving concerns, and creating long-term improvements in how services are delivered. By the end of this course, you’ll have the skills and knowledge to:

• Understand what counts as a complaint in health and social care settings.
• Recognise common reasons why people complain, including emotional and practical factors.
• Follow a clear complaints process, from acknowledging the issue to investigating and resolving it.
• Communicate effectively during every step of the complaints process.
• Respond fairly and with empathy, even when managing difficult or emotional situations.
• Use complaints as valuable feedback to identify trends and make meaningful improvements.
• Ensure complaints processes comply with UK laws and meet the standards of regulatory bodies, including the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) and the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO).
• Provide respect and support to people who are making complaints, and ensure they feel heard throughout the process.
• Accurately document and report complaints while maintaining confidentiality and professionalism.

By gaining practical skills and an understanding of how complaints fit into the bigger picture, you will feel confident in handling both the immediate issue and its long-term implications.

Target Audience

Whether you’re just starting out in social care or you’ve been in the role for years, this course is tailored for anyone who wants to improve their understanding of complaints handling. It’s ideal for:

• Care workers, support workers, and healthcare assistants working directly with people who use services.
• Team leaders, service managers, and coordinators who oversee complaint investigations or processes.
• Administrators, receptionists, and other staff often acting as the first point of contact for complaints.
• Anyone in health, social care, or community settings who wants to strengthen their ability to turn complaints into positive outcomes.

This course helps you build key skills while ensuring you meet the expectations of the people you support, as well as legal requirements under UK law.

FAQ

How long will it take to complete the course?
This course is designed to fit flexibly around your schedule. You can complete it at your own pace and it typically takes about an hour.

Do I need previous experience in complaints handling?
No experience is necessary. The course is accessible to anyone, covering everything from the basics to more advanced topics.

Is the course relevant to England?
Yes. All regulations, legal frameworks, and examples provided are specific to health and social care in England.

Will I get a certificate after finishing the course?
Yes, you’ll receive a certificate on completion. This can demonstrate your understanding and commitment to professional development.

How will this course help me in my role?
The course is packed with practical advice and examples, so you can immediately apply what you’ve learned. Whether it’s handling a complaint, making changes to processes, or improving how your team communicates, each section is designed for real-world application.

Complaints handling is an essential skill for anyone in health or social care. By understanding the process, why complaints happen, and how to respond positively, you can give better support to the people you work with. This free course gives you the tools, knowledge, and confidence to handle complaints well while improving service quality. Enrol today to get started.