How to complain about a care home

You may wonder how you can complain about a care home. If you have noticed something that could negatively affect any resident’s physical or mental wellbeing, you can raise it as an issue with a care home complaint.

If you have a complaint about a care home, the first thing to do is contact the care home manager. The care home manager can discuss any concerns and may be able to resolve the issue.

You have the right to make a complaint, have the complaint investigated and receive a reply.

You may have a complaint about care but not know exactly what is causing what you are concerned about. In this case, speak to the care home manager and your loved one living in the care home (if possible) before making a formal complaint. By doing this, the care home’s staff can liaise with you to resolve the issue.

Whether it is a concern about how the home is run, a health and safety issue, a restriction on your care home visits or the behaviour of a specific staff member, the home manager should be happy you raised the issue. Having this feedback will help them maintain high quality care.

How to make a complaint about a care home 

Care home complaints can be made by phone, in person, by email or written letter. When making a complaint, it may be best to write a formal email/letter highlighting your concerns.

Tips for a care home complaint

• Be clear and as factually detailed as you can about what happened and when – include dates and times or staff names, if possible.
• Highlight what you have already done to try to address the issue.
• Keep copies of any correspondence with the care home e.g. letters or emails you send or receive relating to the complaint.
• Keep a record of when you have had phone calls and meetings about the complaint with the care home. Keep a note of who you spoke to and what they said.
• Be clear about what you want, including changes you would like to see.  

You must not include comments that are not relevant. For example, you can complain about the behaviour of a staff member that puts a resident in harm’s way.
It is not okay, for example, to complain about a staff member’s interests outside work. For incidents of criminal activity, you should contact the police.

Each country in the UK has slightly different procedures when it comes to making a complaint.

How to complain about a care home in England

Care homes are required to have a complaints procedure and a copy of this should be available to you. This highlights the care home’s complaints process and who to speak to. 

Who should I complain to if the care home cannot resolve the issue?

If you feel the care home cannot resolve the issue and are unsatisfied with the care home’s response you can: 

–    Contact the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman for investigation, if you pay for care yourself.

–    You can contact your local authority, if your care is funded by a local authority. 

–    If care is funded and provided by the NHS and you are unhappy with their reply, you can contact the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.  

Can I complain to the CQC about a care home? 

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates England’s care homes but they do not have the powers to make complaints for someone, investigate or resolve complaints. However, the CQC likes to be made aware of a complaint about a care home. 

The CQC can investigate complaints if when someone is unhappy about how powers have been executed under the Mental Health Act (linked to people detained in hospital, subject to a community treatment order or subject to guardianship).

• For more advice about how to complain about a care home in England click here.

How to complain about a care home in Wales

In Wales, each care home must have an accessible complaints procedure which highlights who you should speak to about a complaint.  

If you are unsatisfied with the care home’s response and if care is provided or funded by a local authority, you can complain directly to the local authority. 

If you are unsatisfied with the care home’s or local authority’s responses to your complaint, you can contact the Public Service Ombudsman for Wales.

The Care Inspectorate Wales regulates social care in Wales, but they are unable to investigate and resolve complaints you have about a care home. 

•    For more advice about how to complain about a care home in Wales click here. 

How to make a complaint about a care home in Scotland 

The Scottish care services regulator, the Care Inspectorate requires care homes to have an accessible complains process which includes who is the right person to speak to. 

You may be unhappy with a Scottish care home’s handling of your complaint or are unsatisfied with their response. If so, you can contact the Care Inspectorate. If the regulator investigates, they may make requirements for the care home to improve.   

You may be unsatisfied with the watchdog’s decision. In this case, you can contact the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO).

•    For more advice about how to complain about a care home in Scotland click here.

How do I complain about a care home in Northern Ireland?

Northern Ireland’s care homes must have a complaints procedure that includes who you should to speak to about a complaint.

Your complaint should be made to the care home’s manager. If you or a loved one is living in a care home as a result of being placed there by a Health and Social Care Trust, you can complain to the Trust. 

Northern Ireland’s care regulator the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA), cannot investigate complaints but will take them into account during care home inspections. 

If you are unhappy with the care home or Trust’s response to your complaint, contact the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman (NIPSO).

• For more advice about how to complain about a care home in Northern Ireland click here.

Care regulators 

Care regulators monitor and assess the performance of care homes in specific countries of the UK.
This is to make sure that the standard of care is up to standard and that residents are safe and well cared for.

You can inform the country-specific care regulator about a complaint you have made about a care home.  

England

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) 
CQC details about how to make a complaint in England 

Wales

Care Inspectorate Wales 
Care Inspectorate Wales details about how to make a complaint in Wales
 

Scotland

Care Inspectorate 
Care Inspectorate details about how to make a complaint in Scotland

Northern Ireland

The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) – rqia.org.uk
RQIA details about how to make a complaint in Northern Ireland