Managing Feedback and Complaints

All health care services attract complaints or negative feedback from time to time, and many staff dread having to deal with such situations. If they are handled sensitively and skillfully, however, complaints can be positive experiences that play a crucial part in informing risk-management and quality-improvement processes.

This module explains the benefits of implementing an effective system to manage complaints and encourage feedback, and how to achieve this. It also outlines a number of communication strategies staff can use to reassure complainants that their grievances have been taken seriously and will be dealt with efficiently, which can help to ensure a positive outcome for all involved.

At the end of this module participants will be able to:

• Understand why complaints and feedback can be useful.
• Know how to manage a complaint effectively.
• Know how to implement an open and effective system of managing complaints and encouraging feedback.
• Be aware of a number of communication strategies that can be used to deal with difficult situations.