NHSE values feedback from trainees which enables learning, development, and improvement. Where there are concerns about how training is delivered and the impact that has on the quality of the training experience, we want to know so that it can be explored and addressed appropriately.
It is therefore important that there is a transparent and easily accessible process to raise concerns and where necessary make a complaint. Equally, trainees should feel confident that their concerns are taken seriously and that they are not disadvantaged by raising the concern.
A national Complaints Policy for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education (PGMDE) went live from October 2020. This has been reviewed and updated in 2025 and is now a combined PGMDE and Pharmacy National Complaints Policy. In developing the policy, NHSE continues to commit to the following principles:
- NHSE will ensure that complaints and concerns are properly investigated in an unbiased, transparent, timely and appropriate manner. The outcome of any investigation, along with any resulting actions, will be explained to the complainant
- The key issues taken into consideration are that a complainant needs to:
- know how to complain
- feel confident that their complaint will be dealt with seriously
- understand that their concerns will be investigated, and they will be informed of the findings of that investigation
- trust that NHSE will learn from complaints, feedback and praise, then apply those lessons whilst also learning from and sharing best practice
If you wish to make a complaint, please refer to the complaints policy for information about the process including how to make a complaint here. Download a copy of the complaints form for submission of complaints here.