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The adult social services complaints system should be made simpler and faster under proposals announced by Stephen Ladyman,

Stephen Ladyman

The health minister launched a consultation paper that includes plans to allow service users to complain to any member of staff and get a resolution immediately. There will be no need for the complainant to make the complaint more formal than that, unless they want to.

The Commission for Social Care Inspection will also provide an independent review of complaints referred to them by people who are unhappy with the response made by the local authority.

The CSCI will feedback from complaints to ensure local authorities improve services by learning from mistakes.

“I want to ensure that the service has the needs of the service user at its centre, that it is a listening, learning and responsive service,” said Ladyman. “The complaints process should not be an obstacle but a lever to improve services.”

The consultation, available at www.dh.gov.uk/Consultations ends on 10 January 2005.