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Complain about the use of the Mental Health Act
If you are unhappy with the use of powers or how duties have been carried out under the Mental Health Act, you can make a complaint to us and we will investigate.
Complaints can be made by anyone – patients, staff or any member of the public.
Powers and duties carried out under the Mental Health Act include care while detained in hospital, or while on a guardianship or community treatment order.
Coronavirus (COVID-19): Changes to the Mental Health Act complaints process
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have made changes to the way we respond to people contacting us with a complaint about the Mental Health Act.
- During the pandemic, priority will be given to complaints received from or about people currently detained on an inpatient ward in hospital.
- All other Mental Health Act complaints – new or existing – will be reviewed, but may be paused during the pandemic. However, as usual this information will still be shared with our inspection teams as part of our regulatory and monitoring work.
Information about changes to the Mental Health Act complaints process.
How to complain
If you ask us to investigate a complaint, we will usually ask you to complain to the service provider before we start an investigation ourselves. If you need us to, we can help you make your complaint to the service provider.
You can also give us feedback on care and tell us what you think about your care and treatment.
Contact us
Coronavirus (COVID-19): Office closures
Do not send us things by post. This is because our staff are working from home and our offices are closed for the time being.
Phone: 03000 616161 - press ‘1’ to speak to the mental health team.
When we receive a complaint, we first decide whether it is a something that we can help with. If we can't help, we will tell you why not and whether anyone else might be able to help you.
If we can investigate, we will write to tell you what will happen next.
In either case, we aim to send our first reply within three working days.
- Last updated:
- 19 May 2021
