Wherever possible these time limits will apply. There is some flexibility: the Trust Complaints Manager, Healthcare Commission and the Ombudsman all have discretion to extend the timescales; or if an investigation is particularly complex it may go beyond the stated timescales.

These time limits will not apply if there is a good reason why the complainant could not complain sooner. However, if it is out of time, it is up to the person dealing with the complaint to decide if it will be possible to investigate it. In any case where a complaints’ lead has decided not to investigate a complaint on the grounds that it was not made within the time limit, the complainant can request the Healthcare Commission to consider it.