Your Views about Adult Social Care Services
We encourage people to tell us what they think about any aspect of our service. We want to know if people feel we could do something better or if we are doing something well. It is by listening to service users and their carers that we can find out what.
However, you may prefer to deal with someone else. If this is the case, then there are a number of ways you can get in touch (see the section on how to make you views known).
Who can Make a Comment, Compliment, Suggestion or Complaint?
Anyone who receives a service from us or has applied to us for social care services can make their views known. This includes people who have been refused a service. It also includes their carers. (By carer we mean someone who looks after a relative, partner or friend.)If you decide to make a compliment, comment, suggestion or complaint to us, we will:
- Listen to what you have to say
- Take your views seriously
- Respond promptly
- Maintain confidentiality
- Inform you of what you may do if you remain dissatisfied
Complaints
We have a procedure for dealing with complaints about the services we provide. This is based on legal requirements which must be followed. If you would like more detailed information about our complaints procedure, please look at "Made a complaint? What happens next?".What can you Complain About?
You may complain about various aspects of our involvement with you, such as:- Any service which has been planned or arranged for you
- A plan or decision affecting you or someone you care for
- A service you have received
- Lack of a service
Who should you Talk to About your Complaint?
We try to deal with complaints informally and at a local level. It is best if you can first talk to the person who provides or arranges your service. This could be a social worker, a manager of a residential home, day centre or any member of staff assigned to you.However, you may prefer to deal with someone else. If this is the case, then there are a number of ways you can get in touch (see the section on how to make you views known).
How Do You Make Your Views Known?
- By speaking to us directly either face to face or over the telephone. You can speak to the person who is your usual adult social care service contact or you can contact us at one of our offices.
- By writing it down (if you prefer, someone can do this for you) this could be in a number of ways:
- By letter.
- By printing out and completing the form on the leaflet "Your Views about Adult Social Care Services".
- By fully completing the Your Views about Adult Social Care Services form.
- Email us at ssis@durham.gov.uk.
Getting Help
Some people may need help to make their views known. We can offer communication and language support for people whose first language is not English. The services of an advocate can also be made available free of charge.You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this information.
Your Views 2006.pdf (6 pages, 1066kb)
