Five steps to dealing with... a patient complaint, part two

The AOP’s Aishah Patel shares her five steps for practices to follow if they receive a complaint

4 min read

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23 May 2026

For many practitioners, presbyopia and astigmatism have long represented a perfect storm of complexity in contact lens fitting. But that perception is starting to shift, and with an ageing yet increasingly active population, more patients are seeking vision solutions that match their lifestyles, not just their prescriptions. The challenge for practices is not just clinical, it’s about confidence, communication, and rethinking long-held assumptions that can be supported by the whole practice team.

Most practitioners will receive a complaint at some point in their career, so it is important to know what to do, to reduce the risk of a complaint escalating unnecessarily. Over the past two years, the AOP’s legal and regulatory team has seen a 35% increase in complaints against practitioners, and the team now assists over 350 members each year, following a complaint or concern.

Clinical advisor at the AOP, Aishah Patel, discusses the five steps practitioners should take when a concern is raised.

1 Contact the AOP

You should contact the AOP’s clinical and regulatory team as soon as you become aware of a complaint or concern. The team is made up of optometrists working alongside the AOP’s legal team, and we can discuss any clinical aspects of the concern, and what steps you need to take next.

We understand that being the subject of a complaint can be a very stressful experience, and we find that practitioners invariably feel much better once they’ve talked through the issues with us and have a clear understanding about what’s likely to happen next.

It’s especially important for locum practitioners to contact us immediately following a complaint, to ensure their medical malpractice cover remains valid in the event of a subsequent claim for clinical negligence.

2 Request information

Practice owners are responsible for responding to complaints, and they will usually ask practitioners for a written statement to assist them with the response which goes back to the complainant. You should ask the practice owner to provide you with a redacted copy of the complaint and the clinical records, including any relevant imaging and referral letters, to help you draft your statement.

It’s very important not to comment on the complaint before you’ve contacted the AOP, even if the practice is putting you under pressure to do so. When complaints escalate, they can take many months, or even years to resolve, so it’s worth taking the time to review the matter carefully and get expert legal and professional advice from the AOP, as this will significantly reduce the risk of the matter escalating unnecessarily.

It’s very important not to comment on the complaint before you’ve contacted the AOP

3 Draft a statement

The AOP will provide you with a template you can use to draft a statement, using the information you’ve received from the practice owner.

If something has gone wrong with a patient’s treatment or care, it’s important to be honest about this in the statement, and you may need to undertake some targeted CPD to address any shortcomings. When patients escalate their concerns to an investigatory body, such as the GOC, it can be helpful to show that you have reflected appropriately and taken steps to address any concerns at an early stage.

Although this can be a daunting process, the AOP is here to support you, and will offer expert advice throughout the lifecycle of the complaint.

4 Finalise your statement

Once you’ve drafted your statement, the AOP’s clinical and regulatory team will review the matter, to ensure your interests are fully protected. We may make suggestions on the wording of your statement, to ensure the complainant’s concerns have been addressed in full, and to protect your interests with respect to the practice and your professional registration.

If you are a locum practitioner, your statement may also be reviewed by the AOP’s clinical negligence team, to mitigate the risk of a civil claim for clinical negligence.

Most complaints are successfully resolved by the practice, especially when both parties have taken advice from their respective indemnifiers and followed a proper complaint handling process

5 The next steps

Once your statement has been finalised with input from the AOP’s legal and regulatory team, you can submit it to the practice to assist them in responding to the complaint. Most complaints are successfully resolved by the practice, especially when both parties have taken advice from their respective indemnifiers and followed a proper complaint handling process.

If the complainant is dissatisfied with the practice’s response, they may escalate their concerns to another organisation, such as the GOC, NHS, Optical Consumer Complaints Service or the Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman.

Alternatively, the patient may attempt to bring a civil claim for clinical negligence.

The AOP’s in-house legal team specialises in defending practitioners who are the subject of a formal complaint or claim and will support you throughout the process, to achieve the best possible outcome.