Complaints and feedback

Overview Complain about a care service Complain about a mental welfare issue If your complaint still hasn’t been settled Further information

Complain about a care service

The Care Inspectorate regulates and inspects all care services in Scotland. If you’ve raised your concern directly with your service provider and you’re not satisfied with the outcome, you can ask the Care Inspectorate to investigate your complaint.

The Care Inspectorate encourages people to raise a complaint directly with the service provider first, but if there are reasons why you would not wish to do this, you can raise the matter directly with the Care Inspectorate.

You don’t need to give your name, although it makes it easier to investigate if you do.

You should try to make your complaint as soon as possible. If you make a complaint, the Care Inspectorate will:

• send you a letter to let you know your complaint has been received
• tell you the name of the person who is looking at your complaint
• look into your complaint and find out what has happened
• try to sort out your complaint as quickly as possible
• let you know what the outcome is, usually within 40 days

The Scottish Social Services Council sets out codes of practice that social workers, social care, early years and young people’s workers – and their employers – should meet. It can tell you about making a complaint about a social service worker.