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This National Summit focuses on supporting staff to deliver good complaint handling and implementing and monitoring adherence to the PHSO National NHS Complaint Standards which are now being used and embedded across the NHS. Through national updates, practical case studies and in depth expert sessions the conference aims to improve the effectiveness of complaints handling within your service, and ensure that complaints are welcomed and lead to change and improvements in patient care.
“That’s the gold standard I want all organisations to reach - embracing complaints with open arms and listening, acting on and learning from them. They are the voices that drive improvement.”
Paula Sussex, Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman 1 December 2025
“The NHS does not take patient feedback seriously enough. We can only improve if we know what is working well and what is working less well. Though many providers already have their own feedback systems, comments or complaints often receive a formulaic response from someone who is far removed from the frontline. This feedback is too rarely aggregated and translated into quality improvement actions.”
Fit for the Future: 10 Year Plan for Health UK Government 2025
The conference will identify how you can improve response times to complaints in line with the government ambition to “reform the complaints process and improve response times to patient safety incidents and complaints” (10 year plan for health 2025) through expanding on the Complaint Standards as outlined in the Dash review. The conference will also reflect involving people and their families in complaints and integrating the process with the new Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF) to ensure patient safety actions and learning. The use of AI and technology in complaints, and the management of complaints data and responses will also be discussed.
“One of the drivers of demand is, of course, AI-enabled complaints. Generally, ChatGPT will enable complainants to throw the kitchen sink at it. Whenever there is a technology shift one way, there is always a technology response. It raises expectations. Of course, citizens know that AI is not infallible and it is to be questioned. It means we have to work harder to explain why this particular code, jurisdiction or point does not apply to your particular complaint.”
Paula Sussex, Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman House of Commons 24th February 2026
This conference will enable you to:
Network with colleagues who are working to improve complaints handling
Update your knowledge on the NHS Complaint Standards and how implementation can improve complaints handling
Reflect on the implications of the 10 year plan and Dash patient safety review
Improve response times to patient safety incidents and complaints
Understand how to manage complaints alongside the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF)
Reflect on the perspective of a complainant who has been through the system to understand what person centred really means in Practice
Understand how AI and technology can improve your analysis and response to complaints
Improve responses to AI enabled complaints
Learn how to bring kindness and compassion into complaints management, investigation, responses and learning
Understand what PHSO and the CQC look for in a good complaint response
Self assess your service against the NHS Complaint Standards
Improve the way complaints and investigations involving serious incidents are handled
Develop your skills in complex complaints handling including disputes, vexatious complainants and complaints across organisations
Understand how you can improve frontline resolution of complaints in real time
Develop your skills in de-escalation and conflict and dispute resolution
Support staff through the complaints process including inquests
Identify key strategies for ensuring change occurs as a result of complaints
Ensure you are up to date with the latest legal issues including ensuring adherence to the duty of candour
Self assess, reflect and expand your skills in complaints handling
Supports CPD professional development and acts as revalidation evidence. This course provides 5 Hrs training for CPD subject to peer group approval for revalidation purposes
