Complaints Policy

1. What you can complain about

• An accredited activity that was materially different from what was advertised.
• Content that appears inaccurate, unsafe or primarily promotional.
• Misuse of the CPD England mark, wording or accreditation number.
• Our own conduct, communication, timescales or a decision-making process.

2. How to complain

Send us a message from our contact page, choosing “Complaint or appeal” as the topic. Please include the activity title and accreditation number if you have it, what happened, when, and what you would like us to do. Attach anything relevant such as advertising, slides or certificates.

3. Timescales

• Acknowledgement within three working days.
• Substantive response within twenty working days.
• Where an investigation needs longer — for example because we must ask the provider for records — we tell you why and give a revised date.

4. How complaints are handled

A complaint is assessed by someone who was not involved in the original accreditation decision. We put relevant points to the provider and give them an opportunity to respond. We consider the activity against the standards in force when it was accredited.

5. Possible outcomes

• No further action, with reasons.
• Required corrections to advertising, wording or use of the mark.
• Required changes to the activity, with confirmation before further delivery.
• Variation of the credit value.
• Withdrawal of accreditation and marking of the register entry as withdrawn.

6. Confidentiality

We tell the provider what the complaint is about, because they cannot respond otherwise. We do not disclose your identity unless you agree, or unless we are required to. If you ask us to keep your identity confidential and doing so would make the complaint impossible to investigate, we will tell you before going further.

7. If you remain dissatisfied

Ask for a review by a second reviewer, who will look at how the complaint was handled and whether the outcome was reasonable. That review is the final stage of this process. Nothing here affects your right to raise concerns with a regulator, a professional body, Trading Standards or a court.

8. Vexatious complaints

We may decline to investigate a complaint that repeats a matter already decided, or that is pursued abusively. We will say so in writing and explain why.