Model Complaints Handling Procedures

Our work to standardise complaints handling by public bodies is being rolled out across five main sectors. These are health and social care, local government, central government, housing and education.

We plan to have all public bodies dealing with complaints in broadly the same way by the middle of 2027, and are working to create sectoral Model Complaints Handling Procedures.

The complaints procedure consists of two stages. Stage One is an opportunity to respond and resolve complaints early, close to the point where the service was delivered. Stage Two is for when the service user remains dissatisfied after Stage One. When the two stages are complete public services must signpost to the NI Public Services Ombudsman. It is anticipated that the majority of complaints will be addressed at Stage One. If the service user remains dissatisfied after Stage One, they can request that the organisation looks at their complaint at Stage Two.

The procedures state that Stage One complaints should be dealt with by public bodies within 5 working days and Stage Two within 20 working days.

As well as setting timescales for responding to people’s concerns, we want to change the culture in organisations so that complaints are taken more seriously.  Complaints matter because they are an early warning system for public bodies.

Our training and advice to public bodies, including on how complaints should be investigated and how to communicate with complainants, will help support the changes.

We chose local government as the first sector to develop a Model Complaints Handling Procedure (MCHP) and have worked with the health and social care sector to create a HSC MCHP.

Find out more about plans for each sector below.

Local government

To help us create the local government MCHP we set up a Strategic Network made up of senior local government officials, and an Operational Network of staff involved in the handling of complaints. The new Local Government Complaints Handling Procedure was launched in July 2023.

The sector was given six months from this date to set up any new IT systems to record and report complaints information, and to provide staff with training in the new complaints standards procedure.  From 1 January 2024 all local government organisations have been managing complaints according to the Model Complaints Handling Procedure and continue to be supported through a local government best practice network.

Health and Social Care

Since 2023 we have been working with health and social care organisations to create new complaints handling procedures for the sector. This sector contains a range of services, including hospitals, social care, nursing homes, and family practitioner services such as GPs, dentists and opticians.

There is one MCHP for the whole sector supported by separate guidance for family practitioner service providers and commissioned social care providers. However all will follow the principles of the main guidance.

The MCHP was launched on 1 July 2025, with organisations given six months to implement the new standards from 1 January 2026. 

Central government

This sector will be the third sector to have its own MCHP.

Central government covers all government departments in Northern Ireland, their agencies and other non-departmental public bodies.

We've met with senior departmental staff to explain our work and how the new processes will benefit organisations as well as members of the public who use their services.

To help us create the central government MCHP we are setting up a Strategic Network made up of senior officials, and an Operational Network of staff involved in the handling of complaints. 

Further updates on this work will be provided here.

Housing

Work on creating a Model Complaints Handling Procedure for all organisations which provide social housing in Northern Ireland will begin shortly.

Education

Work to create a Model Complaints Handling Procedure for the education sector in Northern Ireland will begin in 2026.