Complaints Procedure
In the event of any complaint, the following persons should be contacted in the order listed.
1st instance
The Registered Manager, Sam Burdekin
Telephone: 07808 640642
Email: [email protected] or The Nurse in Charge
2nd instance
Managing Director – Martyn Hibberd – Wells House Ltd
Laurel House, Croscombe, Nr. Wells, Somerset BA5 3QJ
Email: [email protected]
3rd instance
Social Services Care Manager
4th instance
Care Quality Commission
CQC South West, Citygate, Gallowgate, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4PA
Tel: 03000 616161
5th instance
The Ombudsman
Termination of contract
Residents may terminate their contract by providing 2-weeks’ written notice to the registered manager.
Contact details
The Lawns Nursing & Residential Care, Kingsbridge Road, Brixton, Devon PL8 2AX.
Tel: 01752 880465
Email: [email protected]
Regulation: The Lawns is regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in England.
Registered Manager: Sam Burdekin
WELLS HOUSE LTD: Complaints Policy
Aim
Wells House Ltd aims to ensure that its complaints procedure is well publicised and fairly applied and that complaints are dealt with promptly, efficiently and properly in all cases.
Background
Wells House Ltd prides itself on the high quality of the services that it provides and our aim is to maintain our standards as consistently as we can and to rarely have complaints. However, we accept that it is the fundamental right of service users, their families or friends or representatives, to complain about the services they are receiving if they feel unhappy with them. Wells House accepts that complaints do happen from time to time and that it is an important part in the running of any service to listen to the feedback from service users, to investigate and admit when things do go wrong and to learn from mistakes so that they are not made again.
Wells House Ltd, therefore, welcomes complaints and views them as an opportunity to learn and to improve.
Wells House Ltd believes that a failure to listen to or acknowledge a complaint can lead to problems getting worse and a breakdown in relationships.
We believe that it is far better to deal with a complaint early, openly and honestly, for everyone’s benefit.
Wells House Ltd understands that having an effective system in place for identifying, receiving, handling and responding appropriately to complaints and comments made by service users, or persons acting on their behalf, is a key element in the Fundamental Standards Reg 16 and the essential standards of quality and safety with which the we must comply to satisfy the registration requirements of the Care Quality Commission.
Regulation 16 of the Fundamental Standards, Receiving and acting on Complaints relates to having an effective system in place for identifying, receiving, handling and responding appropriately to complaints and comments made by service users, or persons acting on their behalf.
According to the standard, people who use services or others acting on their behalf should be sure that their comments and complaints are listened to and acted on effectively and should be confident that they will not be discriminated against for making a complaint.
The complaints process must be available, understood, and well-publicised, and should reflect established principles of good complaint handling. The process must ensure:
• that the details of the complaint, and the desired outcome, have been properly understood
• that advice and advocacy support is available to those who wish or need such support
• that what is required to resolve the complaint, and the likely timescale, is explained.
The prompt also states that investigations must be both proportionate and sufficiently thorough.
Wells House Ltd Policy
General principals are that:
• Every complaint will be welcomed and taken seriously.
• Wells House Ltd encourages and supports a culture of openness that ensures any comment or complaint is listened to and acted on. Wells House Ltd requires that a full record of each complaint is logged in line with the service’s procedures.
• All complaints will be treated entirely confidentially.
• A complaint can be made verbally, or in writing, whatever is easiest or most comfortable for a complainant.
• A complaint can be made at any time to any member of staff.
• All staff will be trained to accept complaints and to deal with them according to this policy.
• A copy of the complaint’s procedure is attached to each service users agreement and is on display in reception.
• All service users should be helped to complain if they require assistance, including those who may have sensory disabilities or special needs or those who may require an independent advocate to speak for them.
• Every complaint should be recorded in the home’s complaints file.
• Making a complaint will not cause a service user to be discriminated against or have any negative effect on their care, treatment or support.
In the case of verbal complaints:
• A verbal complaint can be made to any member of staff.
• Staff who receive a verbal complaint should always welcome the complaint and seek to resolve the problem immediately.
• All complaints should be reported to the Registered Manager or in their absence the Nurse in Charge.
• The Registered Manager will discuss the problem and suggest a course of action to resolve the complaint
• If the course of action is acceptable then the agreement will be clarified and any follow-up action such as a confirmation letter completed.
• If the course of action is not acceptable then the complainant should be asked to put their complaint in writing.
In the case of written complaints:
• A written complaint will be acknowledged in writing within two working days.
• Written complaints will be dealt with by the Registered Manager, If the complaint relates to the Registered Manager, the complaint will be dealt with by Martyn Hibberd, Managing Director, Wells House Ltd
• Every written complaint will be thoroughly investigated, and a written response given within 28 days (Where a complaint is likely to take more than 28 days, in a particularly serious matter where legal advice is taken, for instance, the complainant will be notified of the delay and the reason for it).
• Our commitment is that all written complaints will be treated entirely confidentially and with tact and sensitivity. Details of a complaint’s investigation will however be recorded in a complaints file for recording and inspection purposes.
• Any decision made by Wells House Ltd will be fully explained. If a complaint is upheld, then the Wells House Ltd will apologise and suggest a plan by which the complaint can be resolved.
In cases where the complaint remains unresolved:
• The complaint will be referred to Martyn Hibberd, Managing Director, Wells House Ltd.
• Where a complainant remains unhappy with the outcome of the complaints process then they should discuss the matter with the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Management duties
The Registered Manager of the home has a duty to:
• Ensure that this policy is always operated and to keep all aspects of it monitored and under review.
• Communicate this policy to employees, agency staff, volunteers, and relevant others.
• Ensure that all staff are fully trained in dealing with complaints and are aware of the complaints policy and procedure.
• Ensure that all service users are given full details of the complaints procedure, in a form which is accessible and understandable to them, and have these details explained to them if they require it.
• Respond to all complaints according to this process, treating all complaints fairly and impartially and keeping complainants informed at all stages.
• Keep a documented audit trail of the steps taken and the decisions reached.
• Investigate all complaints fully.
• Review the history of complaints on a regular basis to establish and investigate any trends or patterns which will contribute to the continuous quality improvement and assurance processes.
• Ensure that the complaints procedure is regularly reviewed to ensure that it remains ‘fit for purpose’ and has any necessary improvements made – all such reviews should include feed back and involvement from service users and their families.
• Provide training and guidance as appropriate and to ensure the attendance of staff, including training at induction covering respect for service users and the complaints procedures.
Staff duties
Staff have a duty to:
• Respect service users’ privacy and dignity at all times and treat service users with sensitivity, respect and thoughtfulness.
• Respond to all verbal complaints in a friendly, reasonable, and professional manner according to this policy, welcoming the complaint and suggesting a way to resolve the problem, offering to refer the complaint to a senior member of staff or manager if required.
• Advise service users and their families and representatives about the complaints procedure.
• Keep information about service users confidential and never discuss private or personal issues with a service user in public or gossip about service users.
Applicability and scope
This policy applies to all staff, service users, visitors, volunteers and contractors without exception. All staff of Wells House Ltd have responsibility for ensuring that they work within the remit of this policy and in the manner in which they have been trained.
Responsibilities
Responsibility for the implementation, monitoring and review of this policy lies with the management of Wells House Ltd.
Reviewed and updated March 2025