The Department of Health (DoH) has published its annual statistics on complaints and compliments received by Northern Ireland’s six Health and Social Care (HSC) Trusts for 2024/25, along with figures covering Family Practitioner Services (FPS). The data set, now validated up to 28 July 2025, offers one of the few public windows into how patients feel about day-to-day NHS care—and how quickly concerns are addressed.
Why does this matter? Complaint figures are often used as a temperature-check on service quality, staff pressures and patient safety. Rising numbers can signal growing strain, but can also reflect better reporting routes. Either way, they shape public confidence and policy priorities.
Headline figures for 2024/25
- 5,483 complaints were lodged, covering 8,805 separate “complaint issues”.
- More than half of all issues (53.6%) fell under the Acute Programme of Care, and one in four focused on “Quality of Treatment & Care”.
- Accident & Emergency generated the largest share of grievances (14.1%).
- The median age of the patient concerned was 46.
- Only 44.8% of substantive responses were issued within the 20-working-day target.
- In contrast, 42,312 compliments were recorded—almost eight times the number of complaints—with “Quality of Treatment & Care” again the top subject.
Five-year trend shows a steady climb
Since 2020/21, complaint issues have risen by 76% (from 5,005 to 8,805). Every Trust has reported an increase, with the largest jump in Acute care. FPS complaints have also grown, from 173 to 272 issues.
The data coincide with a period of sustained pressure: A&E wait times have repeatedly breached targets, and the Royal College of Nursing reports a vacancy rate of 9.1% across NI (RCN Labour Force Survey, April 2025). While the bulletin stops short of linking these wider strains to complaint volumes, the correlation is hard to ignore.
Response times and the mixed message of compliments
Under DoH guidance, Trusts aim to issue a substantive response within 20 working days. Fewer than half met that benchmark last year. Previous annual reports have set an informal aspiration of 70%; the latest 44.8% result therefore suggests backlogs persist.
Conversely, the sheer scale of compliments—especially those praising staff attitude—highlights public appreciation for frontline teams despite systemic pressures. The bulletin notes that cards, social media posts and Care Opinion submissions were the most common methods of positive feedback.
What remains unclear
- The bulletin gives no Trust-by-Trust breakdown, making it difficult to identify local hot-spots or best practice.
- There is no adjustment for activity levels; complaints per 1,000 attendances would offer more meaningful insight.
- We learn little about complaint outcomes: how many were upheld, partially upheld or led to service changes?
- The report does not specify whether the 20-day target is statutory or aspirational, nor what happens when it is missed.
- No qualitative themes are shared, e.g. recurring concerns about communication or discharge planning.
Broader context not covered in the data
Waiting-list pressures, workforce shortages and emergency-department crowding dominated health headlines in 2024/25, yet none are referenced in the statistical release. Similarly, complaints linked to mental-health services are not separated out, despite record demand reported by the NI Audit Office (March 2025). Without these contextual markers, the numbers risk being read in a vacuum.
Questions for policymakers and the public
- What concrete actions are Trusts taking in response to the most common complaint category, “Quality of Treatment & Care”?
- Why are fewer than half of complainants receiving a reply within the 20-day window, and what resources are needed to improve performance?
- Would a complaint-rate per 1,000 patient contacts offer a clearer picture of service quality across different Trusts and specialties?
- How will DoH ensure lessons from complaints feed into ongoing reforms aimed at reducing A&E wait times?
- Given the rise in compliments about staff attitude, how can Trusts protect morale while tackling the underlying causes of patient dissatisfaction?
Looking ahead
These statistics underline both the growing demand on Northern Ireland’s health service and the resilience of staff working within it. For the public, the next milestones to watch are any DoH statements on how complaint lessons will inform service improvements, as well as future publications that might drill down into Trust-level trends. Scrutiny over response times is also likely to intensify. Stakeholders may wish to engage with Trust board meetings or contact DoH Public Health Information & Research Branch for more detailed data as it becomes available.