If something isn’t right, tell us
We would always rather hear about a problem than not. If you’re unhappy with any part of the care we provide, you can make a complaint, and we’ll take it seriously. This page explains how to raise a concern with us, what to expect when you do, and the independent routes open to you — including the Ombudsman and CQC — if you’re not satisfied with our response. Complaining never affects the care you or your family member receives.
How to raise a concern with us
You don’t need to put a complaint in any particular form. You can:
- Call us on 01636 646915
- Email hello@helpingathome.co.uk
- Write to us at Helping at Home, 65 London Road, Newark, Nottinghamshire, NG24 1RZ
Ask to speak to Courtney Pike, our Registered Manager. A verbal complaint counts just as much as a written one, so you don’t need to worry about wording it perfectly. If it’s easier for someone to complain on your behalf, that’s fine too.
What happens when you complain
As a CQC-regulated provider, we’re required to have a clear complaints procedure and to act on what we find. In practice, that means:
- We acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days, so you know it’s been received and who’s dealing with it.
- We look into it properly. If a complaint is about a particular carer, someone who wasn’t involved looks into it, not the person you’ve raised concerns about.
- We give you a written response, normally within 25 working days. If something genuinely needs longer, we’ll explain why and keep you updated.
- We tell you what we found, whether we’ve upheld the complaint, and what we’re changing as a result.
Where a complaint shows us something we could do better, we change how we work. That’s the point of the process.
If you’re not satisfied with our response
If you’ve been through our process and you’re still not happy, you have independent routes. Which one fits depends on how the care is paid for.
If the council arranges or funds the care. You can also complain to the local council. For care in and around Newark, Bingham, Ollerton, Southwell and Retford, that’s Nottinghamshire County Council. For care in and around Grantham, it’s Lincolnshire County Council.
The independent Ombudsman. The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman investigates unresolved complaints about adult social care, whether your care is funded by a council or paid for privately. It’s free and independent. Contact it on 0300 061 0614 or at lgo.org.uk. You’d normally go to the Ombudsman after giving us the chance to put things right first.
Telling CQC
The Care Quality Commission is our regulator. It’s worth being clear about what CQC does and doesn’t do. CQC can’t investigate or resolve an individual complaint for you, and it can’t get you an apology or a refund. The Ombudsman does that part.
What CQC does do is use what people tell it to decide when, where and what to inspect, and it can take enforcement action if a provider is breaching regulations. So if you’ve experienced or seen poor care, telling CQC still matters. You can do that through our regulated provider profile or CQC’s complain about a service page, or by calling 03000 616161.
Complaining won’t affect your care
This matters enough to repeat. No one’s care is ever reduced, withdrawn or changed because they, or a family member, made a complaint. The rules we work under require that, and so do we. If your concern is about someone’s safety rather than service quality, our safeguarding page explains the quickest routes to act.
Common questions
How do I make a complaint about my care?
Call us on 01636 646915, email hello@helpingathome.co.uk, or write to us, and ask for Courtney Pike, our Registered Manager. A verbal complaint counts. We’ll acknowledge it within 3 working days and aim to give a full written response within 25 working days.
What if I’m not happy with how Helping at Home handles my complaint?
You can take it to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, the free, independent body that investigates adult social care complaints, on 0300 061 0614 or at lgo.org.uk. If the council funds the care, you can also complain through the council.
Can I complain to CQC instead?
You can tell CQC about poor care, and it helps them regulate, but CQC can’t investigate or resolve an individual complaint or get you redress. For that, complain to us first, then to the Ombudsman if you’re not satisfied.
Will complaining affect the care we receive?
No. Care is never reduced or withdrawn because someone made a complaint. That protection is built into the regulations we work under.
