Listening, responding and improving

We welcome complaints, concerns and feedback. They help us improve care. We listen respectfully, investigate fairly and take proportionate action when something has gone wrong. Making a complaint, or having someone complain for you, will not adversely affect your care. We do not tolerate retaliation or victimisation.

This policy covers homecare enquiries, assessments, referrals, care delivery, missed or late visits, staff conduct, communication, fees, privacy and accessibility. Separate staffing or recruitment complaints are directed to the relevant division without overlooking any effect on your care.

Anyone may raise a concern: a person receiving care, a relative, representative, advocate, professional or other stakeholder. You may complain verbally to any member of staff, by telephone, email, letter or through any complaints channel published on our website. You do not need to complete a special form or try informal resolution first.

If the complaint concerns Jean Dela Abortta-Kuleke, state this when contacting us and request independent consideration. The provider will arrange an investigator or reviewer who was not involved in the events and has no relevant conflict of interest. Jean may supply information but must not determine the findings on his own conduct. We will tell you who is handling the complaint and provide their contact route. You may approach the relevant commissioner or the Ombudsman for advice if you are concerned about independence or delay.

Tell us what happened, when, who was involved, its effect and the outcome you want. We help record verbal complaints and check the summary with you. Anonymous complaints are recorded and investigated as far as possible. If you complain for another person, we consider their wishes, consent, confidentiality, capacity and your authority; we can still consider safety concerns without disclosing confidential information to you.

We offer reasonable adjustments, suitable formats and help making a complaint. We can discuss an interpreter, advocate or trusted person. We respect your preferred communication method and explain what can be arranged. There is no fee for making a complaint.

If anyone is in immediate danger, call 999. Do not wait for the complaints process. Urgent care or safeguarding concerns are escalated promptly to the appropriate professional, local authority safeguarding team or emergency service. Complaints channels are not an emergency response service.

We prioritise immediate safety and care continuity while investigating. Safeguarding, incident management, police referral and duty-of-candour action proceed where needed; a complaint must not delay them.

Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO). You can approach the Ombudsman about adult social care complaints within its remit, including eligible privately arranged care complaints, after giving the provider or relevant council a fair opportunity to respond. It may also consider unreasonable delay. You can seek its advice if unsure of the right route. Normally complain within 12 months of learning of the issue; the Ombudsman decides whether to investigate and may exercise discretion.

Website: www.lgo.org.uk | Telephone: 0300 061 0614.

For council-arranged care, you may also complain to the commissioning council. We cooperate and agree responsibilities so you are not passed between organisations. For NHS-funded care, the NHS commissioner's procedure and, where applicable, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman may be relevant: www.ombudsman.org.uk. We explain the route for your circumstances.

CQC. You can share concerns about care with the regulator at www.cqc.org.uk or 03000 616161. CQC uses information to inform regulation; it does not normally resolve individual complaints or award compensation.

Privacy concerns. You can approach the ICO at ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint or 0303 123 1113. Our Privacy Policy explains our data complaint process. These routes do not remove other legal rights.

Any staff member receiving a complaint must listen, avoid defensiveness, check immediate safety, record the concern accurately and notify the designated complaints lead the same working day, or immediately where serious harm is suspected. Staff must not promise a result, discourage complaints or insist they are submitted in writing.

The lead opens a complaint record, assigns a reference, identifies desired outcomes, verifies representation as needed, documents accessibility requirements and assesses urgency, safeguarding, candour, confidentiality and conflicts. An informal resolution is documented and checked with the complainant; it must not obscure a serious complaint or prevent formal investigation.

Record receipt date, complainant and affected person, issues, risks, investigator, agreed timescales, evidence, communications, findings, remedies, responsible action owners, completion dates, escalation and closure. Keep complaint records secure and separate from routine care records; record care-relevant risks and changes in the care record.

The investigator develops a proportionate plan, reviews care plans, visit records, rotas and communications, interviews relevant people and considers the complainant's account and desired remedy. Evidence is preserved and staff are treated fairly. Disputed or unsupported facts are identified explicitly. The outcome is not predetermined.

Jean Dela Abortta-Kuleke holds both the Registered Manager and Nominated Individual roles. Where he is implicated, the complaint goes directly to an alternative director not involved in the events or an appropriately appointed independent investigator. Where no unconflicted internal reviewer exists, the provider arranges suitable independent review and shares external escalation options promptly. Document authority, confidentiality, competence and any conflicts of the appointed reviewer. Do not describe the same person under two titles as an independent appeal.

For multi-agency matters, obtain appropriate authority for information sharing, agree who leads each aspect and keep the complainant informed. Do not postpone safety action while responsibility is negotiated.

Address every complaint point and distinguish upheld, partly upheld, not upheld and unable-to-determine findings. Explain reasons in plain language and protect other people's confidential information. Remedies may include an apology, corrected care arrangements, record correction, staff training, supervision, policy change or an appropriate financial remedy. Name the action owner and completion date.

Assess whether Regulation 20 duty of candour applies. Where applicable, meet its separate notification, explanation, support, apology and written follow-up requirements; the complaint response alone may not fulfil them. Review safeguarding referrals and required regulatory notifications separately. Do not require confidentiality agreements that obstruct legitimate reporting.

For data protection complaints, provide an accessible route, acknowledge within 30 calendar days, investigate without undue delay, keep the person informed and communicate the outcome. Our three-working-day acknowledgement target remains the preferred standard. A rights request must be handled under its own legal deadlines.

Retain complaint records for as long as necessary for investigation, remedies, review, external escalation, safeguarding and justified legal or contractual evidence requirements. Apply the provider's records retention schedule, review continued need and securely delete or anonymise records when retention is no longer justified. Restrict access to those with a legitimate need; share anonymised learning where possible. Apply legal holds where necessary.

Review complaints and overdue actions monthly; include themes and action effectiveness in quarterly quality reviews. Seek complainant feedback, check remedies were implemented and communicate learning to staff. Report trends to provider leadership and use them in training, audits and service improvement. Closure requires documented findings, response, action tracking and external signposting, not merely a sent letter.

When CQC requests the Regulation 16 complaints summary, provide it, responses, correspondence and other requested information no later than 28 days beginning on the day after receipt of the request. The complaints lead logs the request and deadline and escalates promptly to provider leadership.

Train all staff at induction and through updates on recognising complaints, accessible communication, safety escalation, confidentiality and non-retaliation. Check understanding through supervision and sample case review. Review this policy annually and sooner after regulatory changes, significant complaints or identified weaknesses.

Reasonable management of threatening behaviour may be necessary, but decisions must be proportionate, documented, reviewed and preserve an accessible route for legitimate concerns. Disability-related communication differences must not be labelled unreasonable by default.