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How to handle complaints

A member of the public may tell you they want to make a complaint about HSE services or the care they are getting.

If this happens, there is a process you must follow.

Anyone who works for the HSE is required to deal with complaints from the public. Feedback helps maintain and improve the quality of HSE services.

To handle a complaint you need to:

Helping someone who has had a poor experience

When someone wants to make a comment or compliment

Feedback you must escalate

You must escalate feedback to your line manager when:

  • it is serious and needs to be dealt with immediately by a complaints officer
  • it is about a near miss, harm or an incident - it will need to be investigated
  • it is too complex
  • you cannot find an immediate solution

Your line manager will try to resolve it within 48 hours.

How to escalate

Contact your line manager immediately with the details of the feedback or situation.

They will find a solution or send it to a complaints officer with the person's permission.

Apologising and how to

You are allowed to say sorry, apologise or express regret. It is the right thing to do.

Do

  • be sincere and empathetic

  • use the words “I am sorry”

  • acknowledge what has happened

  • accept responsibility if you are at fault

  • give a factual explanation

  • assure that everything will be done to stop it from happening again

  • reassure them there will be no negative impact for them by complaining

Don't

  • do not be afraid to apologise

  • do not blame anyone

  • do not speculate about what happened

When you make an apology you are not admitting liability.

More advice on apologies

How to be a good listener

Communication is not only about what you say.

You can show someone respect and that you care by listening to their words with your full attention. This is called active listening.

Active listening is when you:

  • listen and do not interrupt so they know they are being heard
  • understand not only the person's words but also their feelings and emotions
  • say back what you have understood to reassure them you are taking them seriously
Active listening tips

When actively listening:

  • encourage the person to talk
  • be attentive and look at them
  • use positive body language such as nodding, listening noises, eye contact
  • be genuine
  • show empathy - put yourself in their shoes so you can understand their feelings
  • use silence appropriately
  • be patient and interrupt only when necessary
  • do not express your opinion in words or your attitude
  • repeat back their main points to them
  • take in the whole picture
  • ask questions to clarify or find out more information
  • take notes if you can
How to ask questions well

When asking questions:

  • ask a question at a time
  • do not be afraid to ask a question again if you need to
  • gather information with open questions such as "tell me about"
  • clarify detail with closed questions such as "so you're saying"
  • do not use questions that trick someone into answering in a certain way
  • ask how they know a particular fact - to make sure it's accurate
What to say next

At the end of the conversation:

  • give a recap of what you are going to do
  • check if they are happy with your next steps
  • ask if they have any other questions
  • share your contact details in case they have any questions afterwards

Find communication skills training

Taking notes

Take notes straight away or as soon as you can.

Find out:

  • what happened and when
  • who was involved
  • the name of the service
  • what they want to happen

Take down the name and contact details of the person giving feedback. If they are doing it for someone else, get their name too.

Complaints management process

Your Service Your Say is the HSE process to listen and respond to feedback. It has 4 stages.

Stage 1 is for complaints:

  • you can deal with straight away
  • your line manager can deal with within 48 hours

Stage 2 is when a complaints officer handles a complaint they get. They may be able to deal with it informally or through a formal investigation.

Stage 3 is when a review officer does a review of the recommendations made at Stage 2.

Stage 4 is when there is an external review by the Office of the Ombudsman or Office of the Ombudsman for Children.

Helping someone make a formal complaint

Everyone has the legal right to make a formal complaint.

Find out from the person if they prefer to:

To make sure a formal complaint has all the detail included, it is best if it is written in the person's own words.

Some people may need help completing a feedback form. If they do, you have to help them.

They can also make a formal complaint by phoning Your Service Your Say.

When a child wants to make a complaint

Other help they can get

Reassure them they do not have to go through this alone. There is free help and support independent of the HSE.

Supporting the complaints process

A complaints officer or review officer may need to contact you after they receive the complaint. They may do this if they need extra information.

If the complaint is about you there are supports to help you through the process.

Your line manager and the complaints officer or review officer will give you information.

If they do not want to make a formal complaint

Some people do not want to make a formal complaint.

They may be satisfied they have told you about their experience and you either:

  • have been able to resolve it
  • will do something about it

If this happens:

When someone makes a complaint for another person

Sometimes another person will make a complaint for someone else. You have to get consent from the person they are making the complaint for.

But there are times when a person cannot make a complaint themselves. For example, because of their age, illness or disability.

The people who can make a complaint for them are a:

  • close family member or carer
  • person who has the care of their affairs (by law or by court appointment)
  • legal representative
  • person they have asked
  • person who is appointed as prescribed in the regulations
  • person who has their consent to do so

Supporting someone with a disability

Anonymous complaints

An anonymous complaint is when the person making the complaint does not give you their name or contact details.

You need their contact details for a full and fair investigation to happen. This gives each person the chance to respond to what another person has said about them.

Explain to them that an anonymous complaint usually cannot be investigated for this reason.

Encourage them to give you their contact details.

If they do not give their details assure them your line manager or a complaints officer will:

  • check that systems in place are robust
  • make sure that nobody's welfare is at risk
  • decide if quality improvements are needed

If staff members are mentioned in the anonymous complaint, do not include their names or information that can identify them when you record the complaint.

Complaints in confidence

If someone asks to make a complaint in confidence this means only you and the complaints officer will know their name.

But for a full investigation they may need to give their name at a later stage.

Try to find a solution immediately without sharing their name.

If you cannot find a solution:

  1. Tell them you will have to send it to the complaints officer.
  2. Contact the complaints officer and explain the person's wish for confidentiality.

The complaints officer will discuss the investigation with them.

They will explain:

  • what is possible when keeping their identity confidential
  • when their identity may need to be disclosed

Mind your wellbeing

You may find it hard to cope with handling complaints and negative feedback.

There are supports to help you.

These include:

Talk to the people you work with or your line manager. Ask them for advice, you may learn from their experiences.

Back to Handling feedback and complaints