023 9279 8029  |  enquiries@daisycare.co.uk

complaints procedure

Policy Statement

At Daisy Homecare, we fully support the right of service users, their families, carers, and advocates to raise complaints and share concerns about the services we provide. We treat every complaint as an opportunity to learn, adapt, and improve.

This policy is not designed to apportion blame, determine negligence, or address compensation matters, and it is separate from our internal disciplinary procedures. We know that failing to acknowledge or properly address a complaint can make things worse, increase distress, and erode trust — so our approach prioritises resolving concerns promptly, transparently, and at a local level, directly between the complainant and Daisy Homecare, including the Registered Manager wherever possible.

What We Aim to Do

We are committed to running an effective complaints procedure and making sure service users feel confident their concerns are heard and addressed fairly and promptly. Specifically, we aim to:

  • Make sure service users, carers, and their representatives know how to raise a complaint, with clear and accessible ways to do so.
  • Have a named individual responsible for managing the complaints process.
  • Acknowledge all written complaints within two working days.
  • Investigate every complaint thoroughly within 28 days.
  • Provide a written response to every complaint within 28 days.
  • Handle every complaint promptly, sensitively, and fairly, recognising the distress it may cause to both service users and staff.

Who to Contact

The named individual responsible for overseeing complaints at Daisy Homecare is:

David Drury
Nominated Individual & Registered Manager
Halpern House, 1-2 Hampshire Terrace, Portsmouth, PO1 2QF
Email: david@daisycare.co.uk
Phone: 023 9279 8029

If you’re not satisfied with how your complaint has been handled or resolved, you can escalate your concerns to:

Care Quality Commission (CQC)
Citygate, Gallowgate
Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 4PA
Telephone: 03000 616161

Where a complaint involves an allegation or suspicion of abuse, we will refer the matter immediately to the Local Safeguarding Board, which may convene a strategy meeting to determine appropriate next steps, potentially involving the Safeguarding Authority.

Verbal Complaints

  1. We treat all verbal complaints seriously, regardless of how minor they may seem.
  2. Staff receiving a verbal complaint work towards resolving the issue promptly.
  3. Staff are trained to remain polite, empathetic, and professional — defensive or confrontational responses are not acceptable.
  4. Staff must avoid assigning blame, making excuses, or deflecting responsibility.
  5. If someone raises a complaint on behalf of a service user, staff will check that person has the necessary authorisation to act on the service user’s behalf. If there’s any doubt, we’ll seek explicit permission from the service user before proceeding.
  6. After discussing the issue, the responsible staff member or a senior team member will propose a resolution plan. If agreed, this is documented, along with how and when we’ll follow up.
  7. If the resolution isn’t satisfactory, the complainant will be invited to put their complaint in writing, and given a copy of this procedure if they don’t already have one.
  8. All verbal and written complaints are recorded in both our Complaints Log and the service user’s file.

Serious or Written Complaints

Preliminary steps

  1. On receiving a written complaint, it’s logged in our Complaints Log and an acknowledgment is sent within two working days.
  2. The complainant receives information explaining how the complaints process works.
  3. If the complainant is not the service user, we obtain written consent from the service user before proceeding.
  4. Where an issue is potentially serious, we may seek legal advice. If legal action is initiated, our internal investigation is suspended.
  5. If the complainant doesn’t wish to engage with our investigation process, we’ll advise them to contact the local authority (if their care is publicly funded), the Local Government Ombudsman (if self-funded), or an advocacy organisation such as Age UK for guidance.

Investigating the complaint

  1. The named complaints manager begins investigating immediately, and provides a full explanation to the complainant, in writing or through a meeting, within 28 days.
  2. If the investigation needs more than 28 days, we’ll tell the complainant why, and keep them updated regularly.

Meeting with the complainant

  1. If a meeting is held, the complainant is welcome to bring a friend, family member, or representative.
  2. We’ll explain the investigation’s findings thoroughly, and offer an apology where appropriate. An apology does not constitute an admission of liability.
  3. The meeting is an opportunity to show the complaint has been taken seriously and investigated properly.

Follow-up

  1. Whether or not a meeting is held, we provide a written summary of the investigation, including how to escalate to the CQC if the complainant remains dissatisfied.
  2. The outcome and any resulting improvements are recorded in our Complaints Log.
  3. We review all complaints at least twice a year as part of our quality monitoring, to make sure lessons are learned and acted on.