Feedback and Complaints Policy (Actionable Feedback Policy)

Last reviewed: April 2026

At Stronger Minds Psychology, feedback is welcomed because it helps improve the quality, safety, accessibility and usefulness of the services and information provided.

This policy explains how you can give feedback, raise a concern or make a complaint about:

• psychological assessment or therapy services
• administrative communication
• fees, invoices or appointment processes
• accessibility or reasonable adjustments
• website content, blog content or clinical information
• privacy, confidentiality or data protection concerns
• advertising, marketing or promotional claims

Feedback may be positive, neutral or critical. All feedback is taken seriously and will be used, where appropriate, to improve the service.

Our commitment

Stronger Minds Psychology aims to:

• listen respectfully and without defensiveness
• respond honestly and clearly
• acknowledge when something could have been handled better
• correct inaccurate or unclear information where appropriate
• take proportionate action to reduce the chance of similar issues happening again
• protect confidentiality throughout the feedback or complaints process
• ensure that raising a concern does not negatively affect the care, respect or service you receive

If something has gone wrong, the aim is to understand what happened, explain the position clearly, apologise where appropriate, and identify any practical learning or corrective action.

This policy is not for emergencies

This policy is not an emergency or crisis route.

If you are at immediate risk of serious harm, or you have seriously harmed yourself, call 999 or go to A&E.

If you need urgent mental health help but it is not an immediate life-threatening emergency, contact NHS 111 and select the mental health option, contact your GP for an urgent appointment, or contact your local NHS crisis service. The NHS also signposts Samaritans on 116 123 for confidential listening support.

How to give feedback

You can give feedback in whichever way feels easiest:

• by email
• during a therapy or assessment appointment
• by telephone
• in writing by post

Please use the following contact details:

Email: [email protected]
Telephone: +44 121 314 1211
Postal address: StrongerMinds Psychology Ltd, Office 37975, PO Box 15113, Birmingham, B2 2NJ

If you are already a client, you are welcome to raise feedback directly in session. This can often be the most helpful way to resolve misunderstandings, discuss what is or is not working, and make adjustments to therapy.

What helps us respond constructively

To help provide a clear and useful response, please include as much of the following as you feel able to share:

• your name and contact details
• whether you are a current client, former client, family member, professional, website user or member of the public
• what the concern or feedback relates to
• the date or approximate date of the issue
• what happened
• what impact it had
• what you would like to happen next
• any relevant documents, screenshots or correspondence

You do not need to use formal language. A clear description of what happened and what you would like reviewed is enough.

Informal concerns

Many concerns can be resolved informally. For example, you may wish to raise a concern about appointment arrangements, communication, a misunderstanding, or an aspect of therapy that does not feel helpful.

Where appropriate, the concern will be discussed openly and constructively, with the aim of agreeing a practical way forward.

Possible outcomes may include:

• clarification or further explanation
• an apology
• correction of an error
• an adjustment to communication or administration
• review of therapy goals or approach
• signposting to another service where appropriate
• changes to website content or wording
• internal learning or process improvement

Formal complaints

You can make a formal complaint if:

• the issue feels serious
• an informal response has not resolved the matter
• you would prefer the concern to be reviewed formally from the outset
• you want a written response

Formal complaints should usually be made in writing by email or letter, although reasonable adjustments can be made if this is difficult for you.

A formal complaint will usually be acknowledged within 5 working days.

The aim is to provide a written response within 20 working days. If the matter is complex, requires review of records, or cannot reasonably be completed within that timeframe, you will be updated and given a revised expected response date.

How formal complaints are reviewed

A formal complaint will usually involve:

1. acknowledging the complaint
2. clarifying the main issues to be reviewed
3. reviewing relevant records, correspondence or website content
4. considering any relevant professional, ethical, clinical or legal responsibilities
5. providing a written response
6. identifying any learning, correction or action where appropriate

The written response may include:

• a summary of the complaint
• what has been reviewed
• what has been found
• whether the complaint is upheld, partly upheld, or not upheld
• any apology, explanation or corrective action
• any limits on what can be shared because of confidentiality, safeguarding or legal duties
• options for further review or external escalation where relevant

Confidentiality

Complaints and feedback will be handled confidentially.

Information will only be shared where there is a legitimate reason to do so, such as:

• responding properly to the concern
• obtaining professional advice
• meeting legal, regulatory, safeguarding or insurance requirements
• protecting someone from serious harm

If a complaint is made by someone on behalf of a client, it may not be possible to share information about that client without their consent, unless there is a legal or safeguarding basis for doing so.

Complaints from parents, carers, partners or third parties

Parents, carers, partners or other third parties may raise concerns. These will be taken seriously.

However, psychological therapy is confidential. This means that, in many situations, information about a client’s therapy cannot be shared with another person without the client’s consent.

Where a third-party complaint raises a safeguarding, risk, legal or professional concern, it will be reviewed carefully and proportionately.

Website, blog and clinical content feedback

Stronger Minds Psychology aims to provide website and blog content that is accurate, evidence-informed, clinically responsible and accessible.

If you believe that any website content is inaccurate, unclear, outdated, misleading, insensitive or potentially harmful, please get in touch.

Please include:

• the page or blog title
• the web address, if available
• the specific wording or section of concern
• why you think it should be reviewed
• any suggested correction or source, if relevant

Where a correction is needed, the content may be amended, clarified, updated or removed. Significant clinical content concerns will be reviewed as a priority.

Privacy and data protection complaints

If your concern relates to how your personal information has been collected, used, stored, shared or protected, please make this clear when contacting us.

Data protection concerns may include:

• access to your personal information
• correction of inaccurate personal information
• deletion requests
• concerns about confidentiality
• concerns about the way personal information has been shared
• concerns about email, records, forms or administrative systems

You can raise a privacy concern directly with Stronger Minds Psychology first. The ICO advises people to give an organisation the opportunity to respond before bringing a data protection complaint to the ICO, usually allowing one month for a response.

If you remain dissatisfied, you can contact the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Professional regulation

Dr Nick Zygouris is registered with the Health and Care Professions Council as a Practitioner Psychologist and is a Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychological Society.

If your concern relates to professional conduct, fitness to practise or a serious concern about psychological practice, you may be able to raise the matter with the HCPC. The HCPC explains that it can investigate concerns about professionals on the HCPC Register.

If your concern relates to membership or professional conduct under the British Psychological Society’s processes, you may also contact the BPS for guidance about whether their complaints process is relevant.

Advertising or marketing concerns

If your concern relates to advertising, promotional wording, marketing claims or whether website material is misleading, please raise this directly so that it can be reviewed.

If you remain concerned about advertising or marketing claims, you may also be able to complain to the Advertising Standards Authority. The ASA provides an online complaints process for advertising concerns.

Complaints about fees, payment or invoices

If your concern relates to fees, payment, cancellation charges, invoices, receipts or insurance documentation, please include:

• the appointment date, if relevant
• the invoice number, if available
• the amount in question
• the reason for your concern
• what you would like reviewed

Fee and invoice concerns will be reviewed against the information provided before therapy began, the agreed terms, and any relevant written correspondence.

Accessibility and reasonable adjustments

If you need help making a complaint or giving feedback, reasonable adjustments can be made.

For example, you can ask to:

• provide feedback verbally rather than in writing
• have extra time to explain the concern
• use simpler written communication
• involve a trusted person to support you
• receive a response in a more accessible format

Please say what would help.

Anonymous feedback

Anonymous feedback is welcome and may still be useful.

However, if feedback is anonymous, it may not be possible to:

• investigate fully
• access relevant records
• respond directly
• clarify details
• explain the outcome

Anonymous feedback will still be considered for learning and service improvement where possible.

Vexatious, abusive or unsafe communication

Most concerns can be discussed respectfully, even when someone is upset or dissatisfied.

Stronger Minds Psychology will not ignore genuine concerns because they are strongly expressed. However, communication that is abusive, threatening, discriminatory, harassing or unsafe may be managed differently.

This may include setting boundaries around communication, limiting repeated correspondence, using written communication only, or taking steps to protect safety and wellbeing.

Learning from feedback

Feedback and complaints are reviewed for learning.

Where appropriate, feedback may lead to:

• changes to administrative processes
• clearer website information
• improved consent or communication procedures
• changes to appointment or invoice processes
• review of clinical information pages
• accessibility improvements
• further training, consultation or professional reflection

The purpose of this policy is not only to resolve individual concerns, but to support safe, ethical and high-quality psychological practice.

Review of this policy

This policy is reviewed at least annually, or sooner if there are significant changes to professional guidance, legal requirements, website processes or service arrangements.