This national data complements the local reporting on complaints by each NHS body, including their annual report on complaints and annual quality accounts.

Complaints can provide an early warning of failures in service delivery, but a small number of complaints does not necessarily mean better performance. It could mean that information about how to make a complaint is poor. NHS boards must demand regular information about complaints and their outcomes. They should have complaints high on their agenda and think about how they can learn from complaints on a regular basis.

Our snapshot of complaint handling by the NHS contributes to learning not just on a local level, but across the NHS in England.