They said this… · Health & NHS

“The CQC will investigate and resolve your individual complaint.”

Generally incorrect

The Care Quality Commission uses information to regulate services but does not usually resolve an individual complaint or award a personal remedy.

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Why this answer

What actually matters

  • Use the provider or commissioner complaint process.
  • Share safety information with CQC where relevant.
  • For unresolved English NHS complaints, consider PSO.
  • Keep compensation or negligence routes distinct.

Important nuance

When the statement may have a point

  • CQC may inspect or take regulatory action informed by concerns.
  • Other care sectors and nations have different oversight arrangements.

What you could say

Keep the response tied to the actual rule.

Evidence

What to have beside you

  • Medical records and relevant correspondence
  • A dated chronology of the care and complaint
  • Names or roles of the people involved
  • The outcome sought and the effect of the alleged failure

If they still refuse

Move the dispute forward.

  1. Use the correct local NHS complaint route and keep clinical concerns distinct from complaint-handling failures.
  2. Ask for a reasoned response to each defined issue and preserve limitation dates for any separate legal route.
  3. For English NHS complaints, consider PSO after local resolution; other UK nations use different ombudsman arrangements.

Read the full rules

Go deeper before escalating.

Primary guideRead the detailed ConsumerWise guidance.Health & NHSRead the full guide.Hospital and clinic complaintsRead the full guide.Clinical negligence or complaintRead the full guide.

Official sources

Check the rules behind this statement.

Local Authority Social Services and NHS Complaints Regulations 2009legislation.gov.uk · checked 19 Sep 2026Complaint StandardsPublic Service Ombudsman · checked 19 Sep 2026