We aim to provide a caring, high-quality service and are always pleased to receive your feedback, both positive and negative. If the service we provide has not met your expectations, then we would like to know. We take all comments and complaints seriously, regardless of their nature.

We hope that most problems can be sorted out easily and quickly, so it is helpful if you can raise any concerns at the time the problem occurred, or as soon as possible afterwards. This gives us the best opportunity to resolve issues swiftly.

We will respond to your concerns considerately, quickly and as effectively as possible in line with the NHS Complaints regulations (2009).

How to make a complaint

For clinical services

If your complaint relates to a clinical service provided by One Care, you, or your representative, can complain about any aspect of care or treatment you have received to either:

• Directly to One Care: enquiries@onecare.org.uk
• To our local Integrated Care Board

For non-clinical services

If your concern is about a non-clinical service provided by One Care, you, or your representative, can make a complaint to: enquiries@onecare.org.uk

Timeframes for complaints

The time constraint for making a complaint is:

• Within 12 months of the incident that caused the problem; or
• Within 12 months from the time that you became aware of the problem.

If you have a good reason for not making your complaint within these timescales, we may still be able to look into it. We can only do this if it is still possible to investigate the complaint fairly and effectively.

Response timescales

Our Complaints Manager will provide you with an initial response to acknowledge your complaint within three working days of receiving your complaint.

After receiving your complaint, we will carry out a full investigation and provide you with a response within 30 working days. If, for any reason, our investigation cannot be concluded within 30 working days, we will inform you and advise you of the revised timescale.

If you are not satisfied with the outcome

 For clinical services

• For clinical services you can escalate your complaint to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO). This process is as detailed within the Local Authority Social Services and National Health Service Complaints (England) Regulations (2009).

For non-clinical services:

• If you are unhappy with the response you receive from the Complaints Manager you can request to escalate your complaint to One Care’s Chief Executive.

You can expect an impartial and objective re-investigation into your complaint by a member of the Senior Management Team. The Investigation will also review how your complaint was handled at stage one.

Complaining on behalf of somebody else

A complaint may be made by a person acting on behalf of a patient where that person:

• Is a child under the age of 18 and the representative is making the complaint in the child’s best interests.
• Has died: The complainant must be the personal representative of the deceased.
• Has physical or mental incapacity: In the case of a person who is unable by reason of physical capacity or lacks capacity within the meaning of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 to make the complaint themselves.
• Has delegated authority to act on their behalf, for example in the form of a registered Power of Attorney which must cover health affairs.
• Has given consent for a third party, including their MP, to make a complaint on their behalf.

In these circumstances, One Care must be satisfied that the representative is the legal and/or personal representative of the person concerned and that they are acting in the complainant’s best interests.

Should the Complaints Manager believe a representative does or did not have sufficient interest in the person’s welfare, or is not acting in their best interests, they will seek expert advice such as through NHS Resolution to confirm prior to notifying the complainant in writing of any decision.

Complaints advocates

You may wish to have support in dealing with your complaint. The organisations, below, provide advocacy support:

• POhWER support centre can be contacted via 0300 456 2370
• Advocacy People gives advocacy support on 0330 440 9000
• Age UK on 0800 055 6112
• The Local Council can give advice on local advocacy services

Other advocates and links can be found on this PHSO webpage.