We want all our customers to benefit from the highest possible level of service and welcome your views on the services we provide. You may wish to:

• complain about something you don’t think we've done well;
• make a suggestion for improving services;
• tell us when you are pleased with the service you have received or the way staff have dealt with you.

If you have something to say about the service you have received from Housing & Social Care Services contact the Complaints Manager.

What happens if I make a complaint?

We aim to sort out any problems as quickly as we can. We treat all complaints seriously and they are dealt with in confidence.

If you prefer a friend or helper can make your complaint for you and be there to support you at every stage of the process.

If you complain directly to the complaints manager or use the Have Your Say Housing & Social Care Services form, we will write within three working days to let you know who will be dealing with your complaint and when you can expect a response.

In most cases we will reply to you within ten working days.

If your complaint is about a social care service there are different timescales for responses depending on the stage of your complaint but we will try to contact you within ten working days to confirm the timescales. If the person dealing with your complaint needs more time to deal with it, they will let you know when you can expect a response and the reasons for the delay.

There are three stages to the complaints procedure:

Stage one

Your complaint will be handled by the line manager of the service you are complaining about. They will try to solve the problem for you. We call this the informal or problem solving stage.

Stage two

If you feel your complaint has not been properly dealt with we will ask a service manager to look into your complaint, or appoint someone to investigate your complaint further.

Stage three

If you are still unhappy with the way your complaint has been dealt with you can ask for it to be reviewed. This will be done by the complaints manager or a complaints review panel, depending on the type of complaint you are making.

What if I'm unhappy with the response to my complaint?

If you are unhappy with the response to your complaint at each stage, you should contact the complaints manager who will tell what you can do next. You can also contact your local councillor, MP or the Local Government Ombudsman. The Local Government Ombudsman will not usually look into your complaint until we have had the opportunity to deal with it. You can contact the Ombudsman directly:

Local Government Ombudsman
P O Box 4771
Coventry
CV4 OEH 

Tel: 0845 602 1983 or 024 7682 1960
Fax: 024 7682 0001
Text: 'Call Back' to 0762 480 4323
Website: Local Government Ombudsman

The council is not responsible for the content or reliability of external websites.

What if my comment or complaint is about the health care I have received?

If your comment or complaint is about the care you have received from York District Hospital, please contact:

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS), York Health Services Trust, York District Hospital, Wigginton Road, York YO31 8HE
tel: (01904) 726262
minicom: (01904) 673429
email: pals@exch.yhs-tr.northy.nhs.uk

If your comment or complaint is about the care you have received in the community, from your family doctor, dentist, chemist or optician, contact:

Complaints Officer, York & Selby Primary Care Trust, 37 Monkgate, York YO31 7PB
tel: (01904) 724102

If you are unsure who to contact the complaints team will be able to advise you please tel: 01904 554081.

For more information about what Housing and Social Care Services can offer, or if you would like to discuss your personal circumstances in confidence, please contact one of our Customer Advice Centres.