Tell us how we are doing

A conversation about Adult Social Care

‘Next steps for Adult Social Care in Northumberland’ describes what we see as the main issues facing Adult Social Care in Northumberland over the next three years and what we intend to do about each of them. 

This document is intended as a starting point for a conversation about whether we have identified the right issues to focus on and how those issues are best addressed. 
 
We are inviting views about those issues from everyone with an interest in the future of adult social care, from people with care and support needs and carers, to partner organisations.
 
If you would like to give us you feedback and comments about the issues described in this document you can send us an email to: asc-conversation@northumberland.gov.uk

Co-production in Adult Social Care

Co-production in Adult Social Care is moving towards a more equal relationship where people with care and support needs and those responsible for services share the discussion and decision-making to plan and deliver support together.

Northumberland County Council and Adult Social Care (ASC) are working hard to make sure that we live in a place where everyone matters. A place where its citizens come first and where people live safe, healthy and independent lives. It’s a big ambition. To make this work, we need the help and support of the people we serve.

Please click this link to read our Northumberland Adult Care Services Engagement and Co-production strategy.

Our Client Relations Team is here to listen to what you want to tell us about our services.

This includes compliments and other comments, as well as complaints.  
 
The compliments we receive are mainly about how helpful, kind and professional staff have been, or about the quality of one of our services. 

If you have a comment or compliment, this will be passed on to the appropriate service area.  
  
If you do have a complaint, the team will make sure it is investigated as thoroughly as necessary and that you get a full response to all the issues you raise, including advice on other options open to you if you are not satisfied with what we say.

We can investigate complaints about social care services provided or arranged by the council, and about NHS Continuing Healthcare ("CHC") services which the council arranges on behalf of the NHS.  

Contact the Client Relations Team

You can contact us by phone on 01670 628888 or by writing to us at the address below:  
  
Adult Social Care  
Comments, Compliments and Complaints  
FREEPOST RLTX-LBXU-SHBS  
County Hall  
Morpeth  
Northumberland  
NE61 2EF  
  
We are happy to accept your complaints, comments and compliments by email to: clientrelations@northumberland.gov.uk

You can make a complaint online, by using this form
 

Making a complaint

While we welcome any kind of comment, we take complaints seriously. We try to provide the best service we can, but sometimes things go wrong. When that happens, we want to be told, so we can make sure things work better in future and we can learn lessons that will benefit other people.  
  
Often the best thing to do when something small goes wrong is to mention it to the staff concerned, who may be able to sort things out on the spot. But if there is a more serious problem, or if you do not feel staff are listening to you, you have a legal right to make a complaint and to have it properly investigated.  
 

Who do I complain to?  

If you have a complaint about your assessment or care plan, then the best person to talk to will usually be your care manager.  
  
If you have a complaint about one of the services your care manager has arranged, it is usually best to start by contacting the provider of the service (for instance the organisation which employs your home carers, or the manager of a care home). However, you can contact your care manager if you find that easier.  

If you don’t want to speak to your care manager about the problem, or if you feel your care manager is not listening to you, you can contact our complaints team.  
 

What to tell us when making a complaint

To deal with your complaint appropriately, we will need to know:  

• Your name, address and contact details (please include a phone number).  
• If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, their name and address, and your relationship to them. We will usually need to check with the person concerned whether they are happy for us to look into the complaint and to include personal information about them in preparing a response to your complaint.  
• What you are complaining about – please give dates and other details if possible.  
• If you know them, the names of the people involved (for instance any members of staff whose actions you are complaining about, or who advised you to complain).  
• What you would like us to do about this complaint.  

How we will handle your complaint

• Acknowledge receipt of your original complaint within three working days.  
• Agree with you how you wish your complaint be handled.  
• Let you know how long we expect it to take to provide you with a detailed written response.  
• Keep in touch with you while your complaint is being investigated.    

• A full explanation of circumstances surrounding your complaint.  
• An apology if the service has not been of an appropriate standard.  
• A summary of what we have learned as a result of the complaint investigation.  
• A summary of how the service will be improved in future.   

Complaints annual report

• 2020-21 Joint Annual Report