We want to hear comments, compliments and complaints from people who use services. It doesn't matter if they are provided or commissioned by us or chosen and bought directly by people themselves.

The Customer Feedback Team

The Customer Feedback Team can:

• help manage and resolve complaints about children's and adults' services
• record and analyse the messages received, both good and bad, to learn from them.

Learning from what people tell us

Learning opportunities are important for the council and for all of us who provide services to adults and children. Organisations who manage complaints positively are seen to be responsive and focused on quality and great customer service.

How people make complaints

In most cases, if someone has a concern, they will raise it directly with the organisation providing care.

Concerns might come up as part of contract monitoring. Or through other routes such as service user surveys or telephone call-in days. People might contact us directly.

All of these are appropriate and useful ways of hearing from people.

Often the concerns raised are about a mixture of things provided in different ways, for example:

• assessments
• reviews
• residential care
• support at home
• health services.

The person may not be interested in who is responsible for what. It is our job to make sure we are joined up in responding to people.

We encourage people to talk to someone involved in providing their support and care. However, we are happy to respond if someone wants to talk outside of the immediate service they receive. We will work with the person to find the best and most local resolution where possible.

How you can help your service users

Make sure that people using your services know how to make a complaint or compliment to the council.

Arranging a visit

If you would like someone from the Comments and Complaints Service to come and visit your organisation, we will be more than happy to arrange it.