Complaints in Social Care Helen Pettengell

Complaints procedure is required by law It is a legal requirement to have a complaints procedure. Regulation 19 Outcome 17

Essential Standards of Quality & Safety – Glossary Complaint ‘An expression of dissatisfaction with something. This can relate to any aspect of a person’s care, treatment or support & can be expressed orally, in gesture or in writing’.

Essential Outcome Areas Outcome 1 – Respecting & involving people who use services. Outcome 16 – Assessing & monitoring the quality of service provision. Outcome 17 – Complaints. Outcome 21 – Records.

Regulation 19 - Complaints In summary: Must have an effective ‘complaints system’ in place. Bring it to the attention of service users in a suitable manner & format. Provide support where assistance is necessary. Ensure complaint is fully investigated. Send a summary to the Commission as requested.

Appendix B of Essential Standards of Quality & Safety Need to comply with the principles of good complaint handling (Parliamentary & Health Service Ombudsman, 2008).

Monitoring Compliance Once registered must continue to comply with the Essential Standards of Quality & Safety. Focus of compliance will be on the 16 essential standards. CQC will use complaints to monitor the quality. Information will be included on the QRP. Informal/formal enforcement action where required.

Since April 2009 Common approach to complaints in Health & Social Care – except for private fee paying individuals. Complaint procedures should now only have one stage before the complainant can go to the LGO. Local resolution stage.

About the LGO 3 offices – London, Coventry & York. Coventry is also the customer call centre. Role is to investigate complaints alleging maladministration & from October 2010 this includes complaints from fee paying individuals..

Accessibility Clear & understandable. It is well publicised. It is accessible.

Communication Direct contact. Effective communication. Effective recording.

Timeliness It is concluded within an agreed time. Provide a set a time in which complaints will no longer be received. Complaints plan.

Fairness Clarity. Impartial. Proportionate.

Credibility Is managed by someone who can take an overview. Robust review process. Learning from complaints.

Accountability Information provided is clear. Follow up. Regular monitoring. Periodic review of the process.

Complaints or SOVA? Complaints/Safeguarding Of Vulnerable Adults. Safeguarding will always take precedence over a complaint. But the complaint must be investigated once SOVA investigation is concluded.

Complaints must include: Reference to the LGO. Reference must also be made to CQC

LGO – contact details PO Box 4771 Coventry CV4 0EH Phone: /

CQC – contact details Care Quality Commission Citygate Gallowgate Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4PA