Complaints about care services

Speak up

It is important that when you move into a home or receive care in your own home you feel able to complain about anything that goes on – this could be the way you are treated by the staff, or the services and facilities provided. You should also feel able to make comments about the service and make suggestions to help improve them.

Under the National Minimum Standards, care homes and care at home agencies are required to have a simple and easy to use complaints procedure so that you know how to complain and feel confident about making a complaint when, and if, you need to. The home or the agency should give you written information about their complaints procedure, that tells you what you can do if you are unhappy with their services, and about their process for resolving complaints.

It is always best to tell the care staff as soon as you have a problem – if they don’t know you are unhappy or upset they won’t be able to sort things out. However, if you don’t feel comfortable complaining to them (or you aren’t happy with the way your complaint was dealt with) you can contact the Care Quality Commission local area office. They will liaise with the home or the agency and make sure that your complaint is dealt with effectively.

If your complaint is about a breach of regulations they will take action against the home or the agency.

You can contact the Care Quality Commission at: Care Quality Commission

Citygate, Gallowgate, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4PA 03000 616161 enquiries@cqc.org.uk

Alternatively, if your place is funded by Social Services you can complain to your own social worker/care manager or you can contact the designated complaints officer for your social services department:

Complaints Team, Adult Social Services

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Time Square, Market Street, Bracknell RG12 1JD 01344 351736 asc.complaints@bracknell-forest.gov.uk

Complaints Team, Adult Social Care

Slough Borough Council

Observatory House

25 Windsor Road

Slough, Berkshire SL1 2EJ 01753 875244 complaints@slough.gov.uk adultsocialcare@slough.gov.uk

Complaints Manager

Adult Social Care

West Berkshire District Council

Council Offices

Market Street

Newbury RG14 5LD 01635 503391 complaintsadultssocialcare@westberks. gov.uk

Complaints and Compliments

Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead

Town Hall

St Ives Road

Maidenhead SL6 1RF 01628 683857 complaintsandcompliments@rbwm.gov.uk

Customer Relations Manager

Freepost RTLS-CKGX-RKLL

Reading Borough Council, Customer Relations Team

Civic Offices, Bridge Street, Reading RG1 2LU

Complaints Line: 0118 937 2905

Complaints Email: socialcare.complaints@reading.gov.uk

Complaints Manager

Community Care

Wokingham Borough Council

P.O. Box 151 Shute End

Wokingham RG40 1WH 0118 974 6000