Complaints In Health And Social Care Essay

COMPLAINTS
IN
HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE
Standards & Guidelines for Resolution & Learning

1 April 2009

SUMMARY
Complaints in Health and Social Care: Standards and Guidelines for
Resolution and Learning replaces the existing HPSS Complaints Procedure
1996 and provides a streamlined process that applies equally to all health and social care (HSC) organisations. As such it provides a simple, consistent approach for staff who handle complaints and for people raising complaints across all health and social care services.

The standards and guidelines have been developed in conjunction with HSC organisations, following public consultation. They reflect the changing culture across health and social care with an increasing emphasis
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What the guidance does not cover .......................................... 8
SECTION 2 - MAKING A COMPLAINT ................................................ 14

What is a complaint? .............................................................. 14
Promoting access ................................................................... 14
Who can complain? ................................................................ 14
How can complaints be made? .............................................. 18
Supporting complainants and staff ....................................... 22
What are the timescales for making a complaint? ............... 22
SECTION 3 - HANDLING COMPLAINTS ............................................ 24

Accountability.......................................................................... 24
Actions on receipt of a complaint .......................................... 28
Investigation ............................................................................ 31
Responding to a complaint .................................................... 35
SECTION 4 - LEARNING FROM COMPLAINTS .................................
Complainants must, where appropriate, have the support they need to articulate their concerns and successfully navigate the system. They must also be advised on the types of help available through front-line staff, the
Complaints Manager and the Patient and Client Council (PCC). HSC organisations should promote and encourage more open and flexible access to the complaints procedure and other less formal avenues in an effort to address barriers to access. Standard 2: Accessibility provides the criteria by which organisations should operate (Annexe 1 refers).
Who can complain?
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Any person can complain about any matter connected with the provision

of HSC services. Complaints may be made by:
• a patient or client;
• former patients, clients or visitors using HSC services and facilities;
• someone acting on behalf of existing or former patients or clients, providing they have obtained the patient’s or client’s consent;
• parents (or persons with parental responsibility) on behalf of a child; and

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• any appropriate person in respect of a patient or client unable by reason of physical or mental capacity to make the complaint himself or who