Customer care and complaints

Hampshire County Council is committed to providing the best possible services for people living in Hampshire. By telling us what you think about our services, you can help us to continue to improve and make sure we correct any mistakes as quickly as possible. You will not be putting your rights to services at risk, so don’t be afraid to tell us what you think or what has gone wrong.

Making a complaint

Complaining can seem difficult, and some people worry that it might make matters worse, but by telling us, you can help us to help you. Although it may not always be possible to provide everything you want, by knowing about your complaints we can work together to try and put things right.

It is important that you let us know of your complaint as soon as it arises so it can be dealt with promptly. We may not be able to consider complaints made after one year of the event that gives reason for the complaint.

If additional support is needed to help you make your complaint, we will make sure that you get this. Contact the Information and Complaints team for more information.

For complaints about Adult Services including

Contact us by

Care at home - both physical and learning disabilities Older people Residential and Nursing care Sensory issues - hearing loss and sight loss If your complaint is about: a registered care home an independent provider of care or something else that is not listed above please make sure you are in the right place

Either: Completing the on-line form Sending an email - title your email 'Complaints/concerns, comments or compliments.' Sending a letter, your comments on DVD, audio tape or video to Information and Complaints team Adult Social Care Freepost SO2077, Winchester, SO23 8BR Ringing Adult Services on 0845 603 5630 (see call charges) Minicom/ Typetalk: 0845 603 5625 Sending a fax to the Information and Complaints team on 01962 834500

Compliments, comments and concerns

If you are happy with any part of the service you receive, then please tell us. Our staff can’t accept gifts, but if you want to recognise their work or to say thank you, then you can contact us as above, and we will record your views, and pass them on to the people involved.

If you have any concerns over any aspect of our services, or you wish to make any comments or suggestions on how we can improve, then please use the online form above

What you can expect from Adult Services

Our approach is about listening, responding and improving. By listening to your experiences, we can resolve mistakes faster, learn new ways to improve, and hopefully prevent the same problems from happening in the future.

• We will treat you with respect and dignity
• We will take your concerns seriously
• We will always try to sort out your concerns as quickly as possible
• We will make sure that you have adequate support

By listening to people about their experiences, we can resolve mistakes faster, and can learn or develop new ways to make improvements to our services.

Are you sure you are in the right place?

Complaints about a Registered Care Home or an Independent Provider of Care	Contact
Ask the provider of the service for a copy of their own complaints procedure and use this If you have tried or do not want to approach the independent provider directly, please contact Adult Services and we will see if we can help. After the 1st October 2010, if you are paying for your own care, you can contact the Local Government Ombudsman. The Care Quality Commission regulates and inspects these services.	The Care Quality Commission (CQC) City Gate, Gallow Gate Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 4PA Tel: 03000 61 61 61
Complaints about Health issues including	Contact
Community Health Services Dentists GP practices Pharmacies etc	Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust Tel: 02380 874065
Complaints about Mental Health issues including	Initial contact
Adult Mental Health Older People's Mental Health Learning Disabilities	Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust Tel: 02380 874065
Complaints about Community Hospitals	Contact
Community Hospitals	Either: Basingstoke and North Hants NHS Foundation Trust - 01256 473202 Frimley Park NHS Foundation Trust Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust Southampton University Hospitals Trust
Neighbouring authorities	Contact
Portsmouth Southampton	Portsmouth City Council Southampton City Council
Children and families issues including	Contact
Your child’s education Children’s welfare or safety The services supplied by the Children’s Services Department	Children's Services complaints procedure