Those people who use social care services can take their
complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman.
When mistakes happen and complaints are made,
people expect the error to be acknowledged and dealt with
quickly, efficiently and thoroughly (The Health Service
Ombudsman for England, 2005). Listening to people’s
experiences means that mistakes can be resolved faster,
learning can occur and actions put in place that will
prevent the problem from recurring. If HCAs and APs
understand the complaints procedure and how to help
deal with complaints more effectively, then services can
improve for all concerned (DH, 2009a).
In 2008, the National Audit Office reported that people
found making a complaint too complicated and that it
took a long time for complaints to be resolved. The new
approach to making a complaint about the NHS and adult
social care services aims to end the bureaucracy of the
older system (DH, 2009a).