Safeguarding & Complaints

Cognition Care has a legal and professional duty to safeguard children, young people, and adults at risk of harm. We comply with the Children Act 1989, the Care Act 2014, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) Fundamental Standards, and all relevant safeguarding legislation and guidance.

• All clinicians and staff at Cognition Care receive regular safeguarding training appropriate to their role.

• We act with care, discretion, and professionalism, recognising that some patients may be more vulnerable due to age, disability, neurodivergence, health needs, or life circumstances.

• Concerns about abuse, neglect, exploitation, or serious risk of harm are always taken seriously and escalated in line with our safeguarding policies and statutory duties.

• Safeguarding is monitored through our clinical governance and quality assurance framework, ensuring compliance, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Where there is a concern that a person may be at risk of harm, Cognition Care may share relevant information with safeguarding authorities without consent where this is necessary to protect individuals or comply with legal safeguarding duties.

Your safety and wellbeing are our priority.

IIn some situations, Cognition Care may need to share relevant information with other organisations to help protect someone’s safety or wellbeing.

This may happen where there are concerns that a person may be at risk of harm, abuse, or neglect.

Where appropriate, information may be shared with:

• Local authority safeguarding teams

• Emergency services

• Your GP or other healthcare professionals involved in your care

We will normally aim to speak with you before sharing information. However, where there is a serious or immediate risk of harm, information may be shared without consent if this is necessary to protect individuals or meet legal safeguarding duties.

Any information shared will be limited to what is necessary and handled in line with UK data protection law and safeguarding guidance.

Full details about how Cognition Care manages confidentiality and information sharing are available in our Privacy & GDPR Notice and Patient Terms and Conditions.

Cognition Care has a named Safeguarding Lead responsible for overseeing safeguarding concerns and ensuring compliance with statutory duties.

Dr Ramanjeet Sharma
Consultant Psychiatrist & Safeguarding Lead

Contact: support@cognitioncare.uk
(please include “Safeguarding – FAO Dr Sharma” in the subject line)

If you are a patient, parent, carer, or professional and have a safeguarding concern relating to our care, please contact us directly.

• All safeguarding concerns are taken seriously and reviewed by the Safeguarding Lead.

• Where urgent action is required, concerns may be escalated immediately to appropriate safeguarding authorities.

• If the Safeguarding Lead is unavailable, a Deputy Safeguarding Lead will be nominated to ensure concerns are addressed promptly.

Cognition Care has dedicated safeguarding policies covering both children and adults at risk:

• Cognition Care Ltd – Safeguarding Children Policy

• Cognition Care Ltd – Safeguarding Vulnerable Policy

These policies explain how we identify, respond to, and escalate safeguarding concerns in line with the Children Act 1989, the Care Act 2014, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) Fundamental Standards, and national safeguarding guidance.

Our safeguarding policies are reviewed annually as part of our clinical governance and quality assurance framework.

Copies of our safeguarding policies are available to patients, parents, carers, and professionals on request.

To request a copy, please email support@cognitioncare.uk with “Safeguarding Policy Request” in the subject line.

We want every patient to feel listened to and respected. If you are unhappy with any part of your care, you have the right to raise a concern or complaint without it affecting your treatment.

Step 1 – Informal resolution: You may raise concerns with your clinician or our administrative team. We aim to resolve issues quickly wherever possible.

Step 2 – Formal complaint: If the issue is not resolved, please email support@cognitioncare.uk with full details. Complaints can also be raised by letter, phone, or through a representative acting on your behalf with your consent.

Step 3 – Acknowledgement: We will acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days.

Step 4 – Investigation: A senior staff member not involved in the issue will investigate the complaint fairly and thoroughly.

Step 5 – Response: You will receive a written response within 28 calendar days. If more time is needed, we will keep you informed.

Step 6 – Escalation: If you remain dissatisfied after our complaints process has concluded, you may raise your concern with the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which regulates healthcare services in England. The CQC does not investigate individual complaints but uses feedback to monitor and improve services. Further information is available at www.cqc.org.uk.

We also follow the Duty of Candour, which means that if something goes wrong and causes harm, we will explain openly, apologise in writing, and take steps to put things right.

Raising a concern or complaint will never affect the care or treatment you receive at Cognition Care. Patients are encouraged to speak openly about any concerns, and doing so will not disadvantage you in any way.

• All complaints are handled confidentially, fairly, and with respect.

• Patients will not be treated differently, disadvantaged, or refused care because they have raised a concern or complaint.

• Concerns are reviewed through our clinical governance framework to ensure that services continue to improve and patient safety is protected.

This commitment is set out in our Complaints, Comments & Compliments Policy and forms part of our duty to provide safe, transparent, and accountable healthcare.

Our full Complaints, Comments & Compliments Policy is available on request.
If you would like a copy, please contact us at support@cognitioncare.uk.

To ensure high standards of care and patient safety, all staff at Cognition Care:

• Receive regular safeguarding training, including updates on child and adult safeguarding law and guidance.

• Are trained to respond appropriately to patient concerns, feedback, and complaints.

• Follow our clinical governance policies and procedures, which set clear expectations for professional conduct, accountability, and escalation of concerns.

• Work under the oversight of our Clinical Lead and Safeguarding Lead, who monitor compliance and ensure that any concerns are reviewed and addressed promptly.