The report says people who complain to regulators struggle to do so due to poor communication, limited support and other significant barriers and highlights the urgent need for improvements in accessibility, transparency, communication and public awareness.  

Melanie Venables, director of policy and communications at the PSA, said: ‘This research addresses a key evidence gap and confirms that more needs to be done to support members of the public and professionals to report concerns to the regulators. Without this, we may be missing opportunities for learning and for the prevention of harm.We will use what we've heard through this research to develop our new Standards for the regulators and Accredited Registers we oversee.'

The research findings indicate the complaints process is perceived as difficult and discouraging, with some feeling it reflects a lack of interest from regulators. It concludes communication from regulators can be poor, leaving complainants uncertain about what action, if any, is being taken.  

In addition, healthcare professionals face social barriers to complaining, such as workplace culture and fear of repercussions with service users facing individual barriers, including lack of awareness of regulators and uncertainty about whether their concern is serious enough. Many complainants reported feeling disappointed by the complaints process, particularly due to lack of follow-up or information.  

Recommendations include: improved communication with complainants; better accessibility of complaints processes and more support for those making a complaint; and reframing complaints as a mechanism for improving patient safety rather than blame.