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When a complaint is made against a Registered Manager, Nominated Individual, or director, an internal investigation isn't just awkward, in some circumstances it's not legally permitted at all. There may be a conflict of interest, a risk of bias, or a concern that the investigation will not be seen as independent by the complainant, the regulator, or commissioners.
Both CQC and Ofsted require complaints to be investigated properly and, where the subject of the complaint would otherwise be involved in investigating it themselves, independently. We carry out that investigation for you, end to end, ensuring fairness, transparency, regulatory compliance, evidence gathering through to a report and action plan, recommendations which you can also stand behind at your next inspection.
Regulation 16, Receiving and acting on complaints (Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014) requires you to have an accessible system for identifying, receiving, recording, handling, and responding to complaints, to investigate any complaint you receive, to take necessary and proportionate action on whatever the investigation identifies, and to supply CQC with a summary of complaints and how they were handled within 28 days of a request.
Regulation 39, Complaints and representations (Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015) is more explicit still. It requires a proper complaints procedure and a record of every complaint and its outcome, but paragraph (2) is the part that matters most here: "no person who is the subject of a complaint takes any part in its consideration or investigation, except at the informal resolution stage." In plain terms, if the complaint is about your Registered Manager or another senior figure, they can't be the one investigating it, by law, not just by good practice. One exception applies: this regulation, other than the no-reprisals provision, doesn't cover matters that fall under the separate Children Act 1989 Representations Procedure (England) Regulations 2006, worth checking which regime applies before treating every complaint the same way.
This is why independent investigation exists as a distinct service rather than an optional extra, for a complaint against management under Ofsted's Regulation 39, an internal investigation can be a straightforward breach of the regulation itself, not just a fairness concern.
A complete, independent investigation service for complaints against management.
Clear pricing for independent investigation services. Synergy members save 10%.
| Service | What's Included | Price | Member Price | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full Investigation | Complete independent investigation: scoping, terms of reference, evidence gathering, interviews, analysis, report, and recommendations. | From £250 | From £225 | Enquire |
| Scoping & Terms of Reference | Initial review of complaint, risk assessment, and agreed terms of reference. Ideal if you're considering a full investigation and need to understand the scope first. | £50 | £45 | Book Now |
| Investigation Support (per day) | Day rate for ongoing investigation work: interviews, document review, site visits, and report drafting. | £150/day | £135/day | Enquire |
| Regulatory Notification Support | Help drafting and submitting statutory notifications to CQC, Ofsted, or local authority safeguarding teams following a complaint investigation. | £30 | £25 | Book Now |
| Action Plan Development | Development of a detailed action plan in response to investigation findings, including timelines, responsibilities, and monitoring arrangements. | £50 | £45 | Book Now |
Full investigation prices depend on complexity and scope. A fixed quote is provided after the initial scoping session. Travel within a 50-mile radius of Cheadle, Staffordshire is included; additional travel is charged at cost.
When the complaint is about a manager, investigating internally risks bias. An external investigator ensures the process is genuinely independent and seen to be so.
CQC and Ofsted expect complaints to be investigated thoroughly and fairly. An independent investigation demonstrates that you take complaints seriously and are committed to transparency.
A fair, impartial process protects the rights of the complainant, the subject of the complaint, and the people receiving care. It ensures outcomes are based on evidence, not assumption.
| Service | Starting price (standard) | Who it's for |
|---|---|---|
| Complaints Investigation (this service) | From £250 | Providers facing a complaint against management where an internal investigation would be a conflict of interest |
| Safeguarding Investigation | From £250 | Providers where the Registered Manager and Nominated Individual are the same person, or a regulator has requested independent investigation |
| Safer Recruitment of Management | £30 | Providers appointing or replacing a Registered Manager, Nominated Individual, Director, or Responsible Individual |
| Mentoring & Coaching | £30 | New registered managers, or leaders wanting to strengthen skills |
Use this service when a complaint has been raised against management specifically, a Registered Manager, Nominated Individual, or director, and an internal investigation would be, or would look like, a conflict of interest. If the concern is a safeguarding issue rather than a complaint, particularly where the Registered Manager and Nominated Individual are the same person, the Safeguarding Investigation service is the closer match.
It starts with a Scoping & Terms of Reference stage, £50 standard, where the initial complaint and any safeguarding needs are reviewed and a clear scope agreed. A fixed quote for the full investigation, from £250, follows once that scope is set, since complexity varies by case.
Yes, Regulatory Notification Support covers drafting and liaison on any statutory notifications required as part of the investigation, and the final report addresses the relevant CQC or Ofsted regulatory frameworks directly.
Action Plan Development support is available to help turn the report's findings and recommendations into a concrete response plan, useful both for closing out the complaint and for demonstrating to a regulator that lessons have been acted on.
Regulation 16, Receiving and acting on complaints, requires an accessible system for identifying, recording, handling, and responding to complaints, investigating each one, and taking proportionate action on what the investigation finds.
Regulation 39, Complaints and representations, requires a complaints procedure and a record of every complaint and outcome, and paragraph (2) is explicit: no person who is the subject of a complaint can take any part in considering or investigating it, other than at the informal resolution stage. If the complaint is about your Registered Manager or another senior figure, an internal investigation can be a breach of the regulation itself. One carve out: paragraph (6) excludes matters covered by the Children Act 1989 Representations Procedure (England) Regulations 2006.
Yes, for local-authority-funded placements. The Local Authority Social Services and NHS Complaints (England) Regulations 2009 govern how a local authority itself must handle a complaint referred to it about a service it arranges or commissions. That's a duty on the local authority, not a replacement for your own Regulation 16 or Regulation 39 process, but it's worth knowing it exists as a parallel route a family or commissioner can use.
If you're dealing with a complaint against management, we can provide the impartial investigation your regulator and the people you support expect. Get in touch for a confidential conversation.
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