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Adult services complaint

We are committed to listening to and acting upon feedback we receive from people who use our services- be that a complaint, comment, suggestion or even a compliment.

 
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.  

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.  

If you phone us, we will talk you through the information that we need.  

 

Members of the team will:  

  • 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.  

  The response we will send to you will include (where appropriate): 

  • 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.   

If you are not satisfied with the response to your complaint, we will also advise you about how you can take the matter further.   

The complaints team

Our complaints 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.  
  
If you do have a complaint, the complaints 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. If you have a comment or compliment, this will be passed on to the appropriate service area.  
  
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.  
  
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 socialcarecomplaints@northumberland.gov.uk, or CHCcomplaints@northumberland.gov.uk.  (If you're not sure which to use, it doesn't matter which you pick - the same team deals with both social care and CHC complaints.) 

Adult services comments and compliments

We welcome all feedback from people who use our services, their carers and families.

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 would like to submit a compliment you can send it on email to:  clientrelations@northumberland.gov.uk 

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

Annual report

Find our annual report

Here you can find the annual reports for adult complaints. 

Council services - Care Quality Commission ratings

Ratings of the council's directly provided residential, supported living and short-term support services by the national regulator.

Northumberland County Council provides eight services which are registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Ratings for these services below are automatically updated from the CQC website, with links to the most recent inspection reports.
Address: Council Offices, Wallace Green, Berwick upon Tweed, TD15 1ED
 
The Short-Term Support Service provides a short period of support to people in Northumberland following a serious accident or illness to help them regain their ability to carry out a range of day-to-day tasks. 

The aim is to help people live independently and safely. The service focuses on things which are important to the service user with an emphasis on trying to help them regain skills and confidence.

The service can provide a rehabilitation programme led by a physiotherapist or occupational therapist; help with tasks such as washing, dressing or meal preparation; and equipment or minor adaptations to people’s homes to help them live safely and independently. The CQC inspects this service by geographical area. Below are ratings for the service in the Berwick area.
Address: 3 Linnet Court, Hawfinch Drive, Cawledge Park, Alnwick, NE22 2GD

The Short-Term Support Service provides a short period of support to people in Northumberland following a serious accident or illness to help them regain their ability to carry out a range of day-to-day tasks. 

The aim is to help people live independently and safely. The service focuses on things which are important to the service user with an emphasis on trying to help them regain skills and confidence.

The service can provide a rehabilitation programme led by a physiotherapist or occupational therapist; help with tasks such as washing, dressing or meal preparation; and equipment or minor adaptations to people’s homes to help them live safely and independently. The CQC inspects this service by geographical area. Below are ratings for the service in the Alnwick area.
Address: Sea Lodge, Beach Road, Morpeth, Northumberland, NE61 5LF

Northumberland Supported Living Service provides a nurse led independent supported living service at Sea Lodge for two adults with learning disabilities. Service users have secured tenancy agreements and live in a large, adapted bungalow within its own grounds with a private beach in Cresswell.

As well as assisting the clients with personal daily living activities the staff team carry out all the housekeeping duties including cleaning, laundry, shopping and cooking. Service users have their own personal individual mobility cars and staff support them to access community activities and services they enjoy.
Address: County Hall, Floor 1 Block 3, Morpeth, Northumberland, NE61 2EF

Shared Lives Northumberland provides support in a family home for adults who are unable to live alone. The service and team are based at County Hall, Morpeth and supports approximately 50 service users with learning, physical or health related disabilities and their carers across Northumberland.

Most service users do not need residential care but are unable to live without consistent and reliable support from someone who knows them. Living in someone’s home provides a better quality and more appropriate lifestyle for the person.
Address: The Harbour Suite, Blyth Community Hospital, Thoroton Street, Blyth NE24 1DX
 
The Short-Term Support Service provides a short period of support to people in Northumberland following a serious accident or illness to help them regain their ability to carry out a range of day-to-day tasks. 

The aim is to help people live independently and safely. The service focuses on things which are important to the service user with an emphasis on trying to help them regain skills and confidence.

The service can provide a rehabilitation programme led by a physiotherapist or occupational therapist; help with tasks such as washing, dressing or meal preparation; and equipment or minor adaptations to people’s homes to help them live safely and independently. The CQC inspects this service by geographical area. Below are ratings for the service in central and south Northumberland.
Address: Tynedale Drive, Cowpen, Blyth, Northumberland, NE24 4LH

Tynedale House offers long-term residential accommodation and short-term respite care for adults with learning disabilities. The residential service provides personal care and support through individual support plans and ongoing support from health and social care services.

The service also works closely with other providers of care delivering support on a one-to-one basis to users on site. The respite service provides short-term care for adults with learning disabilities to support the well-being of the carer and the person who is being cared for.

Stays can be as short or as long as needed. Respite can also provide parents and families with a necessary and valuable break from caring responsibilities.
Address: 2, Hatfield Chase, Bedlington, Northumberland, NE22 5LB

Wansbeck Supported Living Service offers an independent supported living domiciliary service for adults with learning disabilities within their own homes. The service is provided within their own purpose-built bungalows, and clients have their own tenancy agreements with the local housing association Bernicia.

Staff provide 24-hour support seven days a week including supporting service users with personal care, encouraging independence and social and psychological support with daily living skills.

The service assists and helps support service users to be valued and included in their communities; to access community facilities and social and leisure activities; to access resources; to remain safe within their home environment and to develop the necessary skills to support independence and achieve their individual choices and personal aspirations.
Address: Dene Park House, Corbridge Road, Hexham, NE46 1HN
 
The Short-Term Support Service provides a short period of support to people in Northumberland following a serious accident or illness to help them regain their ability to carry out a range of day-to-day tasks. 

The aim is to help people live independently and safely. The service focuses on things which are important to the service user with an emphasis on trying to help them regain skills and confidence.

The service can provide a rehabilitation programme led by a physiotherapist or occupational therapist; help with tasks such as washing, dressing or meal preparation; and equipment or minor adaptations to people’s homes to help them live safely and independently. The CQC inspects this service by geographical area. Below are ratings for the service in west Northumberland.

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