How to make a complaint

Before making a complaint, talk to them about what has gone wrong as they may be able to fix the issue quickly. 

You can also ask the complaints team to do this for you (known as ‘representation’).

If that has not been successful or you feel a formal complaint is more appropriate, the complaints team will:

• give you information about the complaints process and support you to make a complaint
• give you information about others who might be able to help
• keep you up to date as the investigation progresses 
• talk to you about timescales

Anything you tell us will only be shared with those who need to be told.

You can make a complaint by:

• calling 020 7525 3977
• using the online form
• emailing sscomplaints@southwark.gov.uk 

In your complaint let us know:

• the names of relevant officers and teams if you have them
• any important dates or approximate dates
• consider and tell us what result you’d like

We'll consider a complaint under the adult social care complaints policy from anyone who is receiving or has received services from Adult Social Care, and the services commissioned by them.

If you're making a complaint on behalf of somebody else, we'll likely need to contact them to ask for permission. 

Let us know if you have, for example, Lasting Power of Attorney. 

We usually cannot consider complaints if:

• there's an ongoing police investigation
• there are ongoing or impending court proceedings
• there's another process in place to settle your specific dispute (for example a tribunal)
• reported events took place too long ago

If you make a complaint that we find is outside the acceptance criteria, we'll tell you straight away.

Once we receive your complaint, we'll write to let you know what happens next, and when you should expect a response. 

We might need to ask you for more information. If so, we'll contact you. 

We'll:

• ask a senior manager to investigate the problems you've told us about 
• tell them by what date they need to respond
• check the response to ensure it fairly addresses your complaint
• either make further recommendations to the service or send the response to you

If you're not fully satisfied with our response, get in touch with us and explain why. 

Depending on the nature of the complaint, we can arrange a meeting with the service or for another senior manager to review the complaint. 

We can also provide information about other ways to take your complaint forward, for example details about the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO).

The LGSCO is the final stage for complaints about:

• councils
• all adult social care providers (including care homes and home care agencies) 
• some other organisations providing local public services

They're a free service and investigate complaints in a fair and independent way and do not take sides.

The Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) offers confidential advice, support and information on health-related matters. They provide a point of contact for patients, their families and their carers. You can find officers from PALS in your local hospital. 

If you're not happy with an NHS service you should complain to the person or organisation providing the service first, such as the GP, dentist, hospital or pharmacist. 

Alternatively, you can complain to the commissioner of that service, either NHS England or the Integrated Care Board covering the South East London area.

POhWER provides free information and advocacy for Southwark residents.

You can get help from their Independent Health Complaints Advocacy service by:

• phone: 0300 456 2370 (charged at local rate)
• email: pohwer@pohwer.net 
• minicom: 0300 456 2364
• text: ‘pohwer’ with your name and number to 81025
• Skype: pohwer.advocacy (8am to 6pm Monday to Friday)
• fax: 0300 4546 2365
• post: PO Box 17943, Birmingham, B9 9PB
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