Complain about a care home

You may need to make a complaint about a care home if you're not happy with the quality of care you or someone you know is receiving.

Why you might need to complain

Complaints about care homes can arise from various issues, including:

Quality of care: Poor hygiene, inadequate assistance, or unprofessional behaviour from staff.
Safety concerns: Accidents, neglect, or abuse.
Health and well-being: Failure to provide necessary medical care or dietary needs.
Living conditions: Unsatisfactory accommodation, cleanliness, or maintenance.

Guide to making a complaint

Document your concerns

Before making a formal complaint, it's essential to gather and document all relevant information. This includes:

Detailed records: Note the dates, times, and nature of incidents or concerns.
Evidence: Collect any evidence such as photographs, medical reports, or witness statements.
Correspondence: Keep copies of all communications with the care home and other parties.

Example: If a resident's medication is consistently administered incorrectly, document the instances with specific dates and details, and include any related medical notes or observations.

Raise concerns internally

Your first step should be to address the issue directly with the care home. Most care homes have a formal complaints procedure. Here's how to proceed:

Speak to the staff: Initially, try discussing your concerns with the care home staff or the person directly involved.
Contact management: If informal discussions do not resolve the issue, escalate the matter to the care home's management. This could be the care home manager or the director of care.

Steps to take:

Request a copy of the care home's complaints procedure.
Follow the outlined process to file your complaint formally.
Keep records of your complaint and any responses received.

External complaints

If your concerns are not addressed satisfactorily by the care home, you can escalate the complaint to external bodies. Here are the key organisations:

Care Quality Commission (CQC): The CQC is responsible for regulating care homes in England. You can report concerns regarding care quality, safety, and compliance with regulations. Phone 03000 616161 or visit the CQC Website.

Local authority: Plymouth City Council has a responsibility for overseeing adult social care services. You can contact them to report serious issues or if you feel the care home is not meeting its obligations.

Ombudsman: If you feel the complaint has not been resolved fairly or appropriately, you can contact the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. Phone 0300 061 0614 or visit Ombudsman Website.

If you need someone to speak up for you

There are people called advocates who can help if you're finding it difficult to understand your care or you're not able to speak up.

Advocates can help with things like:

writing letters or attending meetings for you
supporting you during assessments and other meetings
helping you make decisions

Is the information correct?

Let us know if the information on this page is wrong and needs to be updated.

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