Complaints procedure

How to complain

You can complain in whatever way is easiest for you — by phone, by email, in writing, or by telling any member of staff who visits. You do not have to use the word “complaint”, and you do not need to put it in writing if you would rather not.

Someone can complain on your behalf — a relative, a friend, an advocate or a social worker. If you would like independent help, your local authority can put you in touch with an advocacy service.

What happens, and when

• We acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days
• The Registered Manager investigates and speaks to everyone involved
• We give you a full written response within 20 working days
• If it will take longer, we tell you why and agree a new date with you

Our response will explain what we found, what we are doing about it, and what we have changed so it does not happen again. Where we have got something wrong we will say so and apologise — that is our duty of candour, and it is not optional.

If you are not satisfied

If our response does not resolve things, you can escalate. You do not have to come back to us first.

If your care is arranged by the council, complain to the council that commissioned it — Gloucestershire County Council or Swindon Borough Council.

If you pay for your own care, you can go to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, which covers private care arrangements as well as council-funded ones. They are at lgo.org.uk or 0300 061 0614.

Telling the Care Quality Commission

The CQC does not investigate individual complaints, but it does want to hear about people’s experiences of care, and that information shapes how it regulates providers. You can contact CQC on 03000 616161 or through cqc.org.uk.

Safeguarding concerns

If your concern is that someone is being harmed, neglected or abused, do not wait for the complaints process. Raise it as a safeguarding concern — the routes are on our safeguarding page, including how to go directly to the local authority rather than through us.