Compliments and Complaints
Our aim is to put you, the customer, first and provide you with the best possible service. To make this aim a reality it is important that you have the opportunity to tell us what you think about the services we provide.
You can tell us when we get things right, make comments about the things we do and suggest new ways of doing things. You can also tell us when we get things wrong so we can put them right.
How to make a compliment, comment or complaint
The Corporate Complaints Unit handles all compliments, comments and complaints about Adult Social Care. We have tried to make it as easy as possible for you to tell us what you think. If you know the member of staff who delivers your service you can speak to them about problems.
For more information please open the Compliments, Comments and Complaints Leaflet (Text version, Rich text document or Print version, PDF document, 951kb). You can also view a copy of the Adult Social Care Complaints Procedure (PDF document)
You can also:
Help making a complaint
If you need some help to make your complaint you can ask a family member or friend to act on your behalf. Alternatively, we can arrange an advocate for you free of charge. If someone is making a complaint on your behalf we need your consent to share your personal information with them.
We can also arrange a British Sign Language or a foreign language interpreter to help you make your complaint. For more information contact the Corporate Complaints Unit or visit the Interpreting and Translation webpage.
Complaints Procedure
Darlington Borough Council defines a complaint as:
"When someone tells us they are not happy about a service or something we have or have not done has had an impact upon them"
The Adult Social Care Complaints Procedure sets out how we will deal with your complaints in line with the Local Authority Social Services and National Health Service Complaints (England) Regulations which came into effect in April 2009. It also sets out how we will deal with your compliments and comments.
The purpose of this legislation is to provide a single complaints process for people who are receiving support from both the Darlington Borough Council Adult Social Care and the National Health Service (NHS).
We understand that sometimes it is difficult to complain. If you need to make a complaint we will take your concerns seriously. We will treat you fairly and with respect and you can be confident that you will not receive a poorer service as a result. If we uphold your complaint you can expect an apology and for us to put things right quickly. What we ask in return is that you treat our staff with respect.
You can also view current and previous Annual Complaints Reports