Devon Carers Complaints Process

Informal Stage:

Please Speak to the member of staff that is working with you or that you would normally have contact with.  Often, they will be able to sort problems out straight away. 

If you do not feel comfortable doing this, or it is not appropriate, please call our Devon Carers helpline on 03456 434 435 and ask for a manager to call you back. We will arrange for an appropriate manager to call you back to discuss your concern/question or complaint.

Stage 1:

The sooner you raise a complaint, the easier it is to deal with. 

You can tell us about your complaint by making contact via the following:

  • speaking to a member of our staff
  • Completing the ‘compliments and complaints’ feedback form which should be sent after our contact with you or via our website https://devoncarers.org.uk/have-your-say/give-us-feedback/
  • Phoning our Devon Carers helpline on 03456 434435 
  • On request a separate complaints form can be sent which confirms all the information we require to investigate your complain
  • e-mail: feedback@devoncarers.org.uk
  • write to us at Devon Carers Complaints, Westbank, Farm House Rise, Exminster, EX6 8AT.

You should explain what the problem is and if possible what action you would like to see taken as a result of your complaint. In the first instance, a Manager from Devon Carers will call you to clarify the complaint that you are making and outline how we intend to investigate it.

You will be sent an acknowledgement letter of your complaint from us within 2 working days and an initial response within 10 working days.  If the matter is complicated and we can’t give you an answer in 10 working days, we will let you know when you can expect an answer.

All complaints will be treated in confidence and we will only discuss your complaint with people who need to know about it.

Please be aware that Devon Carers is obliged to notify a named officer at Devon County Council of any complaint we receive within 5 working days of receiving it. If a complaint relates to a Carers Assessment we have carried out, we are obliged to notify Devon County Council within 2 working days. If you are unhappy with the initial response you receive, you can request that your complaint is investigated by the Head of Carers Services at Westbank (the organisation Devon Cares is part of). Please let us know within 30 days if you wish for this to happen.

Stage 2:

Complaints of a very serious nature, such as cases of gross misconduct will be immediately escalated to level 2 for investigation and resolution. 

Stage 2 complaints that cannot be resolved at Stage 1 will be investigated by the Head of Carers Services if required.

The Head of Carers Services will make contact with you within 15 working days of receiving the request for Stage 2 to discuss your complaint further with you and to make sure that we understand what you continue to be unhappy with.

The Head of Carers Services will notify a named officer at Devon County Council of the Stage 2 investigation, and will also inform the Chief Executive Officer of Westbank.

A response from the Head of Carers Services will be sent to you within an agreed timescale set during the discussion with you.

Stage 3:

If you are unsatisfied with the response received from the Head of Carers Services, you can exercise your Right of Appeal. 

Please write to the Chief Executive of Westbank, within 30 days of receiving the response from the Head of Carers Services.  Please outline your complaint and why you feel that it has not been satisfactorily resolved. 

If in exceptional circumstances you are unable to contact us within 30 days, we will still consider your complaint on application.

The Chief Executive for Westbank will convene a panel that will be made up of representatives from our Senior Leadership Team and Board of Trustees to review your complaint and appeal. 

The Panel will meet within 30 working days of receipt of your letter of appeal and the decision conveyed to you in writing within 10 working days. The Panel’s decision will be final.

Please note:

Devon Carers is a service delivered by Westbank and commissioned by Devon County Council and the NHS in Devon.

If you want to, you can make your complaint about Devon Carers directly to Devon County Council and ask them to investigate it. Your complaint should be sent to:

Customer Relations Team, Room 120, County Hall, Topsham Road, Exeter EX2 4QD

Email: customer.relations@devon.gov.uk
Tel: 0800 212 783