Adult Social Care Complaints and Feedback

On this page:

• Comments and Complaints
• How to Make a Complaint
• Healthwatch

Comments and Complaints

We aim to provide you with the best service and we like to know when we are getting it right. We also recognise that, at times, things can go wrong. When they do, we want to put things right quickly, and use the experience to improve our services and prevent future problems.

If you would like to complain, our Complaints Manager will explain the process and help you to make your complaint. However, talking to the Complaints Manager does not mean that you have to make a formal complaint.

We will decide with you on the best way to resolve your complaint, and if another organisation is involved, such as a care provider, we will also include them.   

Please view our  'Listening to Your Views - How to Complain About or Comment on Adult Social Care Services' leaflet [140KB]  for a summary of our complaints process.

We also provide an Easy Read version of our complaints leaflet. [489KB] .
 

How to Make a Complaint

If you would like to make a complaint, you can:

• Speak to the manager of the service you are dealing with - most concerns or complaints can be resolved quickly through discussions with the manager
• Contact our complaints team
• Register your complaint online

We will acknowledge receipt of your formal complaint within three working days. Our Adult Complaints Manager will contact you to agree what should happen next and decide a timescale for addressing your complaint. 

In all cases you will receive a written response to your complaint. 

If you are not satisfied once we have completed our investigation, you can ask the Local Government Ombudsman to look at your case. They are completely independent of West Berkshire Council.

Please note: we cannot investigate complaints that are 12 months old or over, or complaints that have already been through the complaints process.

Assistance (Advocacy)

If you need someone to speak on your behalf, you can ask a family member or friend, or we can arrange for someone to assist you - this person is called an advocate. 

If you are complaining on behalf of someone who is unable to make the complaint themselves, then we will want to understand their view of the issues you are raising.
 

Healthwatch

Healthwatch is the patient and public champion for health services and social care.

Healthwatch West Berkshire works to help people get the best out of their local health and social care services, using feedback from people to influence how those services are commissioned. It gives you a chance to have a say and influence and shape the way that local services are delivered and developed.

To get involved, have your say and to provide your feedback, visit the Healthwatch West Berkshire website.