Hospital or Clinic Users' Commission

Verified 20 March 2026 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

Do you have a complaint to make to a health institution (public or private)? You can refer the matter to the Users' Commission (CDU). It ensures that your rights are respected and aims to help you in your efforts. It is present in every hospital or clinic. We present you the information to know.

The Users' Commission (CDU) has the following tasks:

  • Ensure that your rights are respected
  • Facilitate your efforts and those of your loved ones.

Complaints and complaints addressed to the health facility and the responses provided are kept at the disposal of the CDU.

Complaints and complaints that do not have the character of a ex gratia or jurisdictional are reviewed by the CDU.

The CDU shall:

  • Contribute to improving the quality of your welcome, that of your loved ones and the care
  • Ensure that you and your loved ones can express your complaints to the institution's management
  • Ensure that you are aware of the remedies and conciliation available to you
  • Make proposals to the management of the establishment to improve the reception and your care and those of your loved ones.

Please note

The CDU shall review complaints to the institution at least quarterly and whenever necessary.

The CDU is composed of in particular of the following persons:

  • The legal representative of the health facility or the person designated by it for that purpose
  • 2 mediators and their alternates, appointed by the health institution
  • 2 representatives of users, and their alternates designated by theARS: titleContent.

Depending on whether it is a public or private institution, additional people may be added to this composition.

Please note

The nominative list of CDU members is posted in the institution and given to each patient with the welcome booklet.

  • You as an inpatient or a loved one
  • The legal representative of the institution, to whom all complaints addressed in the services end

Before submitting a complaint to the CDU, you may address your comments by oral the person responsible for the department in which you are hospitalized.

In case of impossibility or if the explanations given by the service manager do not satisfy you, you can directly address a complaint or complaint written to the hospital's legal representative.

FYI  

The welcome booklet indicates how to contact the person who is responsible for relations with users or who is authorized to collect expressions of dissatisfaction.

Examination by the health facility

Any complaint or written complaint addressed to the hospital is transmitted to its legal representative.

It informs you:

  • The possibility that you have to contact a mediator directly
  • Or the fact that he himself forwards this complaint or complaint to the mediator.

Please note

Before meeting with a mediator, the legal representative of the establishment informs you that you can be accompanied by a representative of the users (member of the CDU).

Review by the Users' Commission (CDU)

Once seized, the mediator must meet you in the 8 days, unless it is impossible for you.

Please note

If the complaint is made while you are in hospital, your hearing should be held as far as possible before you are discharged from the hospital.

The mediator can also meet with your relatives if he deems it useful or if your relatives request it.

8 days after meeting together with you, the mediator shall send the report to the President of the CDU. You and the other members of the CDU are the addressee of this report.

Decisions that may be taken by the CDU

The CDU formulates recommendations for:

  • Provide a solution to the dispute
  • Or inform you of the means of conciliation or recourse available to you.

It may also issue a opinion in favor of classification of the file explaining why.

Within the period of 8 days after the session, the legal representative of the institution shall reply to you and attach to his letter the opinion of the CDU. He forwards this letter to the members of the CDU.

Who can help me?

Find who can answer your questions in your region

  • Health Info Rights

    Telephone line created by a collective of user associations to provide legal or social information related to health

    By phone

    01 53 62 40 30

    Price of a normal communication

    Open Service:

    • Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 2pm to 6pm
    • Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2pm to 8pm.

    By email

    https://www.france-assos-sante.org/sante-info-droits/

    The maximum response time by email is 15 days.