SJT: Handling Patient Complaints — A Doctor’s Framework (passthemsra.com) - Free MSRA revision

This episode gives you the definitive, exam-ready framework for responding to patient complaints calmly, transparently, and professionally. It breaks down the GMC candour duties, the NHS complaint standards, the five-step action plan, red-flag exceptions, and the mnemonics that guarantee high-scoring SJT answers — all grounded in real clinical scenarios. 0:00 Why doctors dread complaints00:28 Complaints = trust + safety data01:03 GMC + NHS standards overview01:40 What counts as a complaint02:15 Three non-negotiable duties02:55 Apology myths (and the truth)03:40 How to apologise safely04:20 The five-step action plan05:00 Step 1: Acknowledge respectfully05:35 Step 2: Sincere experience-focused apology06:05 Step 3: Explain process + timescales06:45 Step 4: Safe immediate fixes07:20 Step 5: Document + signpost to PALS08:00 Red-flag exceptions (risk, data breach, safeguarding, aggression)09:05 When to escalate urgently09:50 Documentation essentials10:30 Using LFPSC for system learning11:00 Immediate phrases to use11:40 Trap answers to avoid12:20 Rapid-fire scenario patterns13:10 Closing the governance loop14:00 Final takeaways• Complaints are formal when they require a response — even verbal ones• Early acknowledgement + apology reduces distress and prevents escalation• Apologising is not an admission of liability• Explain timescales, investigation route, and give a named contact• Fix safe, simple issues immediately (unsafe issues → senior review)• Red flags override process: clinical risk, data breach, safeguarding, aggression• Documentation must record concerns, apology, actions, timescales, PALS, and governance learning• Avoid traps: delay, defensiveness, legal commentary, insisting complaints be writtenTake-home mnemonics:CARE+A — Clarify, Apologise, Route (process), Explain (timescales) + Act, Document, LearnThree A’s — Acknowledge, Apologise, Action planLinks:• passthemsra.com – Complete MSRA revision, notes, mocks, flashcards• freemsra.com – Free podcasts, threads and rapid-learning guides• msra.io – Smart MSRA Qbank with analytics#MSRA #SJT #MedicalRevision #UKDoctors #ComplaintsHandling #GMC #Candour #MedEd #passthemsra #freemsra #msraio