Making a complaint

If you are unhappy about any aspect of the support services offered to you or the person you care for, the best first step is often to talk it over with whoever is responsible for the service.  Options are:

• think through in advance what points you want to make. It can be helpful to write them down so you have something to refer to, or talk them through with someone else 
• keep it factual and explain the impact on you/the person you look after 
• if you feel you need some extra support, ask a friend or family member to be with you or see details of local centres who can help you 
• try to agree what action needs to be taken to resolve the problem and who will do what.  You can ask for confirmation in writing 
• keep a note of who you spoke to, the date and what was agreed   
  

Local support

If you need help to make a complaint, there are local organisations to give you support and advice:

For general complaints:

• Oxfordshire Advocacy Development Group (OADG) is a registered charity dedicated to providing advocacy throughout Oxfordshire. 01865 741200 email oadg@btinternet.com   
• Citizens Advice Bureaux can help with complaints about social services, health services and also more general problems, for example, if you’ve purchased a piece of equipment that’s faulty and can’t get it replaced. Local contacts are: Abingdon 01235 521894; Chipping Norton 01608 641367; Didcot 01235 813632; Oxford, Banbury and Bicester 0870 2200608; Wallingford 01491 833118.
  
  
• Local advice centres can help follow up problems/complaints eg on benefits

Health services

• Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS): Free and confidential service offering support and information should you need to make a complaint about local health services. Local contacts: Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust 0800 052 6088.
  
  
• Independent Complaints Advocacy Service: Independent advice and support to people who have concerns about NHS services provided to themselves or their relatives. 01869 325535. Fax: 01869 325420 Email: Bicester.icas@dsl.pipex.com

Advocacy

Local organisations offering support to help you get your views across:

• Oxfordshire Short-Term Advocacy Scheme (OSTAS): 01865 250102 Email: ostas@btopenworld.com
  OSTAS provides trained volunteer advocates to give short term support, including help to get your voice heard, write a letter or make a complaint. Any Oxfordshire resident can use the service.
  
  
• ADAPt – All-age Dementia Advocacy Project: 01865 742745
  
  
• CAPOLD – Citizen Advocacy for People of Oxfordshire with Learning Disabilities: 01865 741293 Email: capold@btopenworld.com
  
  
• Age Concern Oxfordshire Advocacy Service: 01865 717615
  
  
• Allies Advocacy Service: Help for in-patients in Oxfordshire mental health hospitals to make their voices heard. 01865 728981

Complaints procedures

• If you are unhappy about an aspect of service provision to you as a carer (or to the person you look after), contact Oxfordshire County Council.

  If you need help and advice about social care needs call Oxfordshire County Council's Access to Information and Services team at 0845 050 7666. Staff will help you to contact the services you need. Hours are: Monday to Thursday, 8.30 am to 5pm; Friday, 8.30 am to 4pm.

  You can also write to:
  Oxfordshire County Council
  PO Box 780
  Oxford,
  OX1 9GX
  Fax: 01865 783111
  access@oxfordshire.gov.uk
  Out of hours emergency number: 0800 833408 (freephone)
  

Benefits

• If you are unhappy with a benefits decision, and want it to be looked at again, the letter informing you of the decision should tell you what to do next.  There is usually a time limit given for your reply.  Your nearest carers’ centre or advice centre can help you.
  If you want to complain about how a benefits claim has been handled, contact the benefits office dealing with the claim.  Start by contacting the person you dealt with, or that person’s manager.  You can ask for the office’s complaints leaflet and customer charter.  If the problem is not resolved, contact the office manager at the office dealing with your claim. 
  They aim to respond within seven working days and the reply should tell you what you should do if you are still not happy. You should not be treated any differently because you have complained.
  You can also contact your Member of Parliament who may be able to send your complaint to the Ombudsman.

Legal help

If you need legal help it is important to find a local solicitor specialising in the area of law concerned, for instance, community care and to find out whether you are eligible for legal aid.   

• Community Legal Service Direct: 0845 345 4345. Provides details of approved legal advisers and solicitors, and information on legal aid.  Anyone who receives income support, income-based jobseeker’s allowance or pension credit, guarantee credit, should automatically qualify for legal aid if their capital is below the set limit. 
  
  
• Disability Law Service: 020 7791 9800. Legal advice for disabled people, their families and carers on a range of issues including benefits, community care rights, and discrimination. 
  
  
• Turpin & Miller: 01865 770111. Expertise to assist you in all areas of community care law, including:
  • obtaining social service and independent assessments  
  • NHS charges and Home Care
  • seeking Judicial Reviews of the local authority's failure to assess or provide services.