Tell us your views about adult social care

Compliments, feedback and complaints

We are committed to providing high quality services to all adults and families in Gateshead to support our vision for adults in Gateshead to live thriving lives. We realise we don't always get it right, and if that happens, we want to try and fix any problems you may be experiencing.

We welcome your feedback whether you:

had a positive experience
have suggestions for improvement
are unhappy with a service you've received.

Your views help us improve how we support adults and carers in Gateshead.

If you want to give a compliment, provide feedback or raise a concern about Adult Social Care, the best way to tell us is to:

talk to your worker about your concerns
ask to speak to their manager instead.

We can resolve most concerns quickly or explain why this is not possible. If we can't resolve your concern in this way, you can make a complaint.

How to make a formal complaint

If you are not happy with a social care service we provided, you can make a complaint to our social care complaints team.

You should speak to the member of staff that you know best first as most issues can be sorted this way.

We would like to know:

what has happened
how you or your family have been affected
what you would like us to do to put things right

Adult social care complaints

People who can make a complaint

A complaint can be made by:

a person who receives or has received services from Adult Social Care.
a person who may be affected by the action, omission or decision of Adult Social Care.
a representative may complain on behalf of a person who:
- has died.
- cannot make a complaint themselves due to mental or physical incapacity.
- is a child or young person; or
- has given consent for the representative to act on their behalf

Making a complaint on someone's behalf

If a representative wishes to make a complaint on behalf of someone who lacks capacity (as defined by the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (opens new window)), we will need to confirm that this arrangement is appropriate. If we are unable to accept the complaint on these grounds, we will inform the representative in writing and explain the reasons why.

Complaints involving care providers

If your complaint relates to a commissioned care service, the Commissioning Manager will be involved at key stages, including:

scoping the complaint
reviewing the draft response
final sign-off

How we handle complaints

We aim to resolve concerns quickly and fairly.

Our Complaints Team will acknowledge your complaint within 2 working days. In our response, we'll agree with you how it will be handled and how long it may take.

We will always try to resolve issues informally first. If this isn't possible, your complaint will move into a formal investigation.

A manager in Adult Social Care (the Investigating Officer) will be appointed to look into your complaint.

They will speak with you about your concerns and how you've been affected.
They will discuss how long the investigation may take.

The complaints team aims to respond to all complaints within 6 months of receiving them. If your complaint is complex or involves external agencies, the Investigating Officer may agree a revised timescale with you to ensure a thorough and proportionate investigation.

If more time is needed, we'll let you know in writing and explain why, along with an updated timeframe. Once the investigation is complete you will receive a written response.

Respect and dignity

We are committed to ensuring that all individuals engaging with our services treat our staff and elected members with respect and dignity. Our staff are here to help. We will not tolerate behaviour that is abusive, threatening, or discriminatory. We will take appropriate action to ensure staff safety.

Unreasonable behaviour and persistent complaints

We're committed to treating all complaints fairly and providing a high-quality service to everyone. In rare cases, a person's behaviour or repeated complaints can make it difficult for us to respond effectively, both to them and to others.

If someone continues to pursue a complaint that has no reasonable basis, or if we've already taken appropriate action and explained our decision, we may decide to close the matter.

Examples include:

Repeating the same complaint after we provide a full response.
Refusing to accept a fair outcome.
Asking for unrealistic solutions.
Contacting us through multiple channels about the same issue.
Changing the complaint during the investigation.
Being aggressive or abusive towards staff.

Further help and support

If you need help making a complaint, you can ask for support from:

an advocate
a trusted friend or family member
your social worker or care coordinator

We will make reasonable adjustments to support you, including providing information in accessible formats or arranging interpreters if needed.

Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman

We encourage anyone who is not satisfied with the outcome of a complaint made to us to discuss their concerns with our complaints manager. We may then consider if there is any other way to help resolve your concerns.

Whether you made a complaint to us or to another social care service, you have the right to ask the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) to review your complaint. You must have gone through all stages of our or other organisation's complaints procedure first.

Find out more at Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman - how to complain (opens new window) or call 0300 061 0614

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman
PO Box 4771
Coventry
CV4 0EH

The complaints and representations procedure, adult social work explains our complaints process in more detail.