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Sections 120 and 134A – Your right to complain to the Care Quality Commission

Published
22/05/2026
Type
Language

This leaflet has been produced to provide people with knowledge about their rights to complain to the CQC and how they are able to do this.

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This leaflet may not be reproduced in whole or in part, without the permission of Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust

  • How to make a complaint

    If you have a complaint about your treatment under the Mental Health Act you can ask the Care Quality Commission to help. The Commission is an independent body which makes sure that mental health law is used correctly and that patients are cared for properly while they are kept in hospital or are on guardianship or on supervised community treatment.

    You can write to them at:
    Care Quality Commission
    Citygate
    Gallowgate
    Newcastle upon Tyne
    NE1 4PA
    Tel: 03000 61 61 61
    Website: www.cqc.org.uk

    You can contact the Commission while you are still being kept in hospital or on guardianship or on supervised community treatment. But you can also contact them later, if you want to.

    Commissioners visit hospitals regularly to meet patients and check that they are being treated properly under the Mental Health Act. If you are in hospital when a Commissioner visits, you can speak to them then. The ward manager can tell you the date of the next visit.

    You may find that your complaint can be sorted out sooner if you raise it first with the people responsible for your care. They can also give you information about the local complaints procedure, which you can use to try to sort out your complaint locally.

  • Further help and information

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    Published by the Patient Information Centre
    2026 Copyright: Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust

    Ref: PIC/216/0526 May 2026 V8
    Review date 2027

    Website: www.cntw.nhs.uk – Telephone: 0191 246 6800

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