Complaints Policy

Our commitment to ensuring all complaints are listened to and acted upon promptly and fairly.

1. Introduction

This document outlines the policy of Carefound Home Care (the “Company”) in relation to complaints. The Company aims to ensure that its complaints procedure is properly and effectively implemented and that clients feel confident that their complaints and worries are listened to and acted upon promptly and fairly.

Specifically the Company aims to ensure that:

  • clients, client representatives and carers are aware of how to complain and communicate
  • the Company provides easy to use opportunities for them to register their communications both verbally and in writing
  • a named person will be responsible for the administration procedure
  • the details of every complaint received are recorded in the Complaints log including the Name of Complainant, the Nature of Complaint, the Date and Time of Complaint, the Brief Nature of Investigation and the Conclusion
  • every complaint is acknowledged within 5 working days with details of who is dealing with the complaint included
  • all complaints are investigated within 28 days of being made
  • All complaints are responded to in writing by the Company within 28 days of being made (even if not yet resolved)
  • Complaints are dealt with promptly, fairly and sensitively with due regard to the upset and worry that they can cause to both staff and clients
  • Complaints are reviewed by management on completion and the client is contacted so that he / she understands the process, outcome and any improvement. Complaints are also reported, shared with staff and subject to review

2. Policy Statement

The Company accepts the rights of the client to make complaints and to register concerns about the services received. It further accepts that they should find it easy to do so. It welcomes complaints and looks upon them as opportunities to learn, adapt, improve and provide better services.

The policy is intended to ensure that complaints are dealt with properly and that all complaints or comments by clients and their relatives, carers and advocates (the “Complainant”) are taken seriously.

The policy is not designed to apportion blame, to consider the possibility of negligence or to provide compensation. It is not part of the Company’s Disciplinary Policy.

The Company believes that failure to listen to or acknowledge complaints leads to an aggravation of problems, client dissatisfaction and possible litigation. The Company supports the idea that most complaints, if dealt with early, openly and honestly, can be sorted at a local level between just the Complainant and the Company.

The Company acts on the basis that, wherever possible, complaints are best dealt with on a local level between the complainant and the Company’s management.

3. Procedure: Verbal complaints

Preliminary Steps:

  • Carers who receive a verbal complaint are expected to seek to solve the problem immediately
  • If they cannot solve the problem immediately, they should offer to get the Registered Branch Manager to deal with the problem
  • Carers are expected to remain polite, courteous, sympathetic and professional to the Complainant. They are taught that there is nothing to be gained by adopting a defensive or aggressive attitude
  • At all times in responding to the complaint, carers are encouraged to remain calm and respectful
  • The carer should not accept blame, make excuses or blame another carer
  • If the complaint is being made on behalf of the client by an advocate, it must first be verified that the person has permission to speak for the client, especially if confidential information is involved (it is very easy to assume that the advocate has the right or power to act for the client when they may not). If in doubt it should be assumed that the client’s explicit permission is needed prior to discussing the complaint with the advocate

Investigation of the complaint by the Company:

  • After talking the problem through, the Registered Branch Manager or carer dealing with the complaint will suggest a course of action to resolve the complaint. If this course of action is acceptable then the carer should clarify the agreement with the Complainant and agree a way in which the results of the complaint will be communicated to the Complainant (i.e. through another meeting or by letter)

Follow-up action:

  • If the suggested plan of action is not acceptable to the Complainant, then the carer or Registered Branch Manager will ask the Complainant to put their complaint in writing to the Registered Branch Manager. The complainant should be given a copy of the Company’s complaints procedure if they do not already have one
  • Details of all verbal and written complaints must be recorded on the client's file on the care management system

4. Procedure: serious or written complaints

Preliminary steps:

  • When the Company receives a written complaint it passes it to the named Complaints Manager who records it on the care management system in Care Planning by adding a Complaint Note and then completing the resultant Complaint Form (including the Name of Complainant, the Nature of Complaint, the Date and Time of Complaint, the Brief Nature of Investigation and the Conclusion). They must also send an acknowledgment letter within 5 working days to the Complainant
  • The Manager also includes details of who is dealing with the complaint (the Complaints Manager) and a copy of the Company’s procedure for the Complainant
  • If necessary, further details are obtained from the Complainant. If the complaint is not made by the client but on the client’s behalf, then consent of the client, preferably in writing, must be obtained from the Complainant
  • If the complaint raises potentially serious matters, advice could be sought from a legal advisor. If legal action is taken at this stage, any investigation by the Company under the complaints procedure immediately ceases

Investigation of the complaint by the Company:

  • Immediately on receipt of the complaint, the Complaints Manager will start an investigation and within 28 days should be in a position to provide a full explanation to the Complainant in writing (and also by arranging a meeting with the individuals concerned if appropriate)
  • If the issues are too complex to complete the investigation within 28 days, the Complainant will be informed of any delays

Meeting:

  • If a meeting is arranged, the Complainant will be advised that they may if they wish bring a friend or relative or a representative such as an advocate
  • At the meeting a detailed explanation of the results of the investigation will be given and also an apology if it is deemed appropriate (apologising for what has happened need not be an admission of liability)
  • Such a meeting gives the Company the opportunity to show the Complainant that the matter has been taken seriously and has been thoroughly investigated

Follow-up action:

  • After the meeting, or if the Complainant does not want a meeting, a written account of the investigation will be sent to the Complainant. This includes details of how to approach the Local Authority, the Care Quality Commission and / or the Local Government Ombudsman if the Complainant is not satisfied with the outcome
  • The outcomes of the investigation and the meeting are recorded on the care management system on the Complaint Form and any shortcomings in Company procedures will be identified and acted upon
  • Management formally reviews all complaints at least every 6 months as part of its quality monitoring and improvement procedures to identify the lessons learned

5. Responsibilities

Complaints Manager

The named Complaints Manager with responsibility for following through complaints for the Company is Oliver Stirk (Managing Director) whose local contact details are:

Tel: 01423 774070

Email: enquiries@carefound.co.uk

Address: Carefound Home Care, Oakwood Park, Bishop Thornton, Harrogate, HG3 3JN

Cheshire East Local Authority

Tel: 0300 123 5010

Website: www.cheshireeast.gov.uk

Address: Cheshire East Council, c/o Municipal Buildings, Earle Street, Crewe, CW1 2BJ

Nottinghamshire Local Authority

Tel: 0300 500 80 80

Website: www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk

Address: Nottinghamshire County Council, County Hall, West Bridgford, Nottingham, NG2 7QP

North Yorkshire Local Authority

Tel: 01609 532638

Website: www.northyorks.gov.uk

Address: North Yorkshire County Council, County Hall, Northallerton, North Yorkshire, DL7 8DD

City of York Local Authority

Tel: 01904 551550

Website: www.york.gov.uk

Address: City of York Council, West Offices, Station Rise, York, YO1 6GA

Care Quality Commission

Tel: 0300 616161

Website: www.cqc.org.uk/contact-us

Address: Care Quality Commission, Citygate, Gallowgate, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4PA

Local Government Ombudsman

Tel: 0845 602 1983

Email: advice@lgo.org.uk

Address: The Local Government Ombudsman, PO Box 4771, Coventry, CV4 0EH

6. Training for Staff

All staff receive training in dealing with and responding to verbal and written complaints. The complaints policy and procedures are included in new staff induction training. In-house training on handling complaints are conducted at least annually and all relevant staff attend.

7. Review

  • Policy last updated: 16 November 2022
  • Policy review date: 16 November 2023
  • Policy owner: Oliver Stirk, Managing Director