Complaints

College staff provide services for, and deal with a wide range of enquiries from, doctors, trainees, members of the public and others. In every case, we hope to provide the level of service that people have a right to expect. If you feel we haven't, then we want to know about it - both so that we can put things right and so that we can improve our systems and processes for the future.

We always try to informally resolve problems first. Where there is a problem therefore, please contact the person or the section (or the manager of that section) who provided the service or the response to your enquiry, and explain why you are unhappy and what action is needed. This can be done by telephone or in writing. We will then try to resolve the matter for you as quickly as we can.

If you are still dissatisfied, however, we want you to feel comfortable about making a formal complaint.

Formal complaints about standards of service delivery, failure of processes or quality of staff performance should be made in writing, by letter or email. Your complaint should identify:

  • the nature of the complaint
  • who has been involved so far
  • what has/has not been done
  • why you are not satisfied with the outcome
  • how you would like to see the matter resolved.

The RCPCH regrets that we cannot handle complaints about the delivery of child health services by other organisations, or complaints about individual practitioners carrying out such work. However, there are a number of resources online if you feel you have a concern of this kind. These include web pages with details of how to make complaints about the NHS in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The regulator for UK medical professionals, the GMC (General Medical Council), also provides details of how to raise a concern about a doctor.

Please provide your name and let us know how we should get back to you. We will normally be happy to phone and talk through the problem and possible solutions. Sometimes we may need to ask for additional details.

Please send your complaint to:

Post: Chief Executive
RCPCH
5-11 Theobalds Road
London WC1X 8SH

E-mail: complaints@rcpch.ac.uk

Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7092 6000

All formal complaints will be acknowledged by return. We will aim to let you have a full response within four weeks of receipt, though very complex issues may take longer to resolve.