Complaints Policy
Last updated: August 2026
I aim to provide psychological and professional services that are ethical, respectful and of a high standard.
If you are unhappy with any aspect of the service you have received from Aaron Shaw Psychology, I encourage you to raise this with me. I take concerns and complaints seriously and will seek to respond openly, fairly and constructively.
Aaron Shaw Psychology is an independent private practice operated by me, Dr Aaron Shaw, HCPC-registered Clinical Psychologist.
1. What can I complain about?
You can raise a concern or complaint about any aspect of the service provided by Aaron Shaw Psychology, including:
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psychological therapy or assessment;
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professional conduct or communication;
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administrative arrangements;
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fees or invoicing;
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cancellations or appointment arrangements;
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confidentiality or information handling;
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professional-development or coaching services;
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information provided through the website;
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any other aspect of your experience of the practice.
You do not need to use legal or formal language when raising a concern.
2. Raising a concern informally
Where you feel comfortable doing so, I encourage you to raise concerns with me directly in the first instance.
Many difficulties can be resolved through discussion, clarification or an appropriate apology or corrective action.
For clients currently attending psychological therapy, you are welcome to raise concerns during a session or contact me separately.
Raising a concern will not adversely affect the standard of care you receive.
3. Making a formal complaint
If you would prefer to make a formal complaint, please contact me by email:
Dr Aaron Shaw
Aaron Shaw Psychology
Email: info@aaronshawpsychology.com
Please provide, where possible:
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your name and contact details;
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a brief description of what happened;
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the date or approximate date of the event;
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any relevant appointment or service details;
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what you would like me to consider or do in response.
You do not need to provide information that is not relevant to the complaint.
4. What happens after I receive a complaint?
I will aim to acknowledge a formal complaint within five working days.
I will then consider the issues raised and, where necessary, review relevant records or seek further information.
I will aim to provide a substantive written response within 20 working days of receiving the complaint.
If the matter is particularly complex and I need longer to respond, I will let you know and explain the reason for the delay.
5. How complaints are considered
I will seek to deal with complaints:
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fairly;
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respectfully;
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objectively;
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confidentially;
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without unnecessary delay.
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My response may include:
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clarification of what happened;
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an explanation;
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acknowledgement of mistakes;
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an apology where appropriate;
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steps taken to correct a problem;
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changes to practice or procedures;
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information about other options available to you.
Where something has gone wrong, I will seek to be open and honest about this and take appropriate action to reduce the likelihood of it happening again.
6. Confidentiality
Complaints are handled confidentially.
Information will only be shared where reasonably necessary to:
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investigate the complaint;
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obtain appropriate professional advice;
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respond to a safeguarding or risk concern;
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comply with a legal or regulatory requirement;
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respond to an insurer or legal adviser where appropriate.
Where possible, unnecessary identifying information will not be shared.
7. Clinical care while a complaint is being considered
If you are currently receiving psychological therapy, making a complaint does not automatically mean that therapy will end.
Where appropriate, we can discuss whether it feels clinically helpful to continue working together while the complaint is considered.
In some circumstances, the issues raised may make it more appropriate for therapy to pause or for alternative support to be considered. If this occurs, I will seek to discuss this with you and consider appropriate onward arrangements.
8. Complaints involving safety or safeguarding
If a complaint raises information suggesting a significant risk of harm, abuse, neglect or another safeguarding concern, I may need to take additional action alongside investigating the complaint.
This may include sharing relevant information with another healthcare professional, safeguarding service or emergency service where this is professionally or legally justified.
Where possible and appropriate, I will discuss this with you.
9. Complaints about professional conduct
I am registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as a Clinical Psychologist.
The HCPC regulates practitioner psychologists and can consider concerns about whether a registrant's fitness to practise may be impaired. It is not an ordinary customer-service complaints body and does not investigate every disagreement or dissatisfaction with psychological therapy.
If you have a serious concern about my professional conduct, competence or fitness to practise, you can find information about raising a concern directly with the HCPC.
Health and Care Professions Council
www.hcpc-uk.org/concerns
You do not need my permission to contact the HCPC.
10. British Psychological Society
I am also a Chartered member of the British Psychological Society (BPS).
For HCPC-registered Practitioner Psychologists, the BPS advises that concerns relating to fitness to practise should ordinarily be raised with the HCPC in the first instance.
The BPS may separately consider matters relating to membership and its Member Conduct Rules where appropriate.
Further information is available at:
11. Data-protection complaints
If your concern relates specifically to how your personal information has been handled, I encourage you to contact me first.
You also have the right to raise a concern with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).
Information Commissioner's Office
www.ico.org.uk
Further information about how I process personal information is available in my Privacy Notice.
12. Insurance-funded treatment
If your therapy is funded through a private health insurer, you may also have rights under your insurer's own complaints or dispute-resolution procedures.
If a complaint relates specifically to an insurer's authorisation, benefit decision or payment decision, you may need to raise that issue directly with the insurer.
13. Complaints about coaching or professional-development services
Complaints relating to services such as Assistant Psychologist interview coaching, DClinPsy application support or career mentoring will be considered under this same complaints procedure.
These services are professional-development services rather than psychological healthcare.
Where a complaint relates to payment, cancellation or contractual arrangements, the relevant Terms & Conditions will also apply.
14. Complaints records
I maintain an appropriate record of formal complaints and their outcome.
Complaint information will be stored securely and retained only for as long as there is a legitimate professional, legal, regulatory or insurance reason to do so.
Complaint records will be kept separately from routine marketing information.
Where a complaint relates directly to clinical care, relevant information may also need to be documented within the clinical record.
15. Learning from complaints
Complaints and concerns can provide important information about how services can be improved.
Where appropriate, I will use learning from complaints to review:
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clinical practice;
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communication;
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administrative processes;
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client information;
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policies and procedures;
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professional-development arrangements.
16. Contact
If you would like to raise a concern or complaint, please contact:
Dr Aaron Shaw
Aaron Shaw Psychology
Email: info@aaronshawpsychology.com
Website: www.aaronshawpsychology.com
I will seek to respond openly, professionally and fairly.