Complain about a care home or service
Even though we cannot investigate your individual complaint for you we would like to hear about your experience. This is because we believe involving people who use services in everything we do will help improve them for everyone. We therefore encourage people to share information with us.
You should contact the service providing your care in the first instance.
Ask your provider for a copy of their complaints procedure. Every social care service is required by law to have one and to make arrangements for dealing with complaints.
This stage is also called the local resolution stage as it encourages people to try to resolve the complaint at local level and to put things right. If you need help, with this there are organisations that can help you.
- Age UK (formerly known as Help the Aged and Age Concern) can provide advice and assistance and their mediation service may be able to help you.
- In some areas Citizens Rights for Older People (CROP) can provide advice and assistance.
- You can get help from your local Citizens Advice Bureau.
Council funded care
If your care is paid for by social services and you have been assessed as needing care then you also have the right to contact them and complain using the Local Authority Social Services and NHS statutory Complaints procedure. This is also true if the council has assisted you in finding a care home.
You can contact your social worker or care manager or your local social services department who will be able to tell you how to use this procedure.
To find the address of your local council visit www.direct.gov.uk.
If you remain unhappy following the investigation by social services then you can complain to the Local Government Ombudsman.
Self-funded care
If you pay for your care yourself, you can complain to the provider.
Should you be unhappy with their investigation, from 1 October 2010 you will be able to contact the Local Government Ombudsman and ask that they consider your complaint.
Find out more
If you want to find out more about how to make a complaint about a care home or service, you can download our leaflet on the process.
