03/07/06 - Dept of Health overhauls social services complaints procedures
People will find it easier to make complaints about
adult social services, thanks to new Department of Health regulations
to be laid before Parliament on Thursday 29 June. This is the latest
in a series of measures to drive up standards and try and secure dignity
in care and services for adults.
It will make it easier and more transparent for a person to complain
that they have been given care that doesn't suit their needs and will
ultimately make the system more responsive. Time scales will be attached
to the complaints process to put pressure on social services to respond
quickly with a satisfactory outcome.
Speaking at a Commission for Social Care Inspection conference, Care
Services Minister Ivan Lewis said “Dignity in care is not some
sort of side show - everyone receiving care services deserves it. I've
been asking older people to tell me about what good, decent care means
for them and I want to see a national debate in all care settings and
beyond about how best to secure it.”
People are to be encouraged to speak out about poor services when they
come across them and challenge bad practice, without fear of recrimination.
This builds on good practice already established by the local authorities’
own complaints procedures itself and chimes with concerns expressed
in the Department's Dignity in Care survey, currently being conducted
via the Department's website. The call for a simpler complaints system
is one of the top three suggestions people have suggested Government
should concentrate on. (More info available at the link below titled,
Dignity in Care).
Other suggestions are to ensure that people know their rights, know
what action can be taken and encourage them to raise concerns and to
make greater use of patient and public forums and generally listen more
to service users and their families. The survey responses will be used
to shape future policies.
Making it easier to complain is also a topic that has been raised by
older people in regional listening events currently being undertaken
by Minister Ivan Lewis and policy officials.
It is also a Our Health, Our Care, Our Say White Paper commitment to
develop a joint health and social care complaints system. This announcement
is an interim step towards that.
Source : DOH
