If you have experienced or seen poor care from an adult social care service, you have a right to complain to the organisation that provided or paid for the care.
By law, all health and social care services must have a procedure for dealing efficiently with complaints.
How to complain
In the first instance, you should contact the service provider.
If the care is funded or arranged by a local council, you can complain to them about your issue. Find your local council (GOV.UK)
All health and social care service providers must have a complaints procedure that you can ask to see. This will tell you how to make a complaint.
- Resources to help you make a complaint (Healthwatch)
- Information about complaining about adult social care services (Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman)
- Raising concerns about a service you work for
If you think a crime has been committed or someone is in danger, contact the police.
Tell us
You should also tell us about the poor care that you have seen or experienced.
Although we are not able to take forward complaints on your behalf, information given to us helps protect others from going through the same experience.
If you are not satisfied
If you have complained to the care provider or local council and you are unhappy with the response, you can make a complaint to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman can investigate complaints about all adult care services, whether they are paid for by a council or by someone with their own money.
Report an unregistered service
Tell us if you think somebody is providing health or adult social care services without being registered with us.