Complaints Policy

Kome Care Ltd is committed to delivering high-quality, safe, and compassionate home care services. We recognise that despite best efforts, things can sometimes go wrong. We view every complaint as a valuable opportunity to improve our services and to better serve the people in our care.

We treat all complaints with respect, confidentiality, and urgency, regardless of how they are raised or by whom. We will never penalise, disadvantage, or treat less favourably any person who makes a complaint or raises a concern in good faith.

This policy is based on Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 — Regulation 16 (Receiving and Acting on Complaints), and applies to all care and support services provided by Kome Care Ltd.

A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction about the care, services, or conduct of Kome Care, whether verbal or written. Complaints may be raised by:

An informal concern or general question is not the same as a formal complaint. We encourage you to contact your care coordinator informally in the first instance, as this often resolves matters quickly. However, if you prefer to raise a formal complaint from the outset, you are fully entitled to do so.

You can make a complaint by any of the following methods. Please include your name, contact details, and a description of your complaint including any relevant dates. You may also ask someone to act on your behalf, such as a family member, solicitor, or independent advocate.

From the moment we receive your complaint, we follow a structured process to ensure it is investigated fairly, thoroughly, and within agreed timescales.

If the investigation is complex and cannot be completed within 28 days, we will contact you to explain the delay and agree a revised, reasonable timescale. We will keep you updated throughout.

All complaints are investigated by a manager who was not directly involved in the matter being complained about. Our investigation may include:

• Reviewing care records, visit logs, and communication records relevant to the complaint.
• Speaking with the care worker(s) or staff members involved.
• Speaking with the client, family member, or advocate (with their consent).
• Consulting with our clinical supervisor or registered nurse where clinical care is involved.
• Reviewing medication administration records, risk assessments, or care plan documentation.
• Seeking input from commissioners or other care professionals involved in the person's care, if appropriate.

Throughout the investigation, we will treat all parties, including the person complaining and the staff member(s) involved, with fairness, respect, and dignity.

Following our investigation, our written response will clearly tell you:

• Whether we uphold the complaint (in full or in part) or do not uphold it, and the reasons for our decision.
• What action we have taken or will take in response to the finding.
• Any changes made to our policies, procedures, or working practices as a result.
• Where appropriate, whether a member of staff has received additional supervision, training, or other management action. (Specific personnel details remain confidential.)
• A sincere apology where the complaint is upheld and Kome Care is at fault.

We are committed to being honest, transparent, and accountable in our response, even where the news is difficult to deliver.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to escalate your complaint to an independent external body. You do not need our permission to do this, and you can contact these bodies at any time.

We do not treat complaints as isolated incidents. All complaints and their outcomes are:

• Recorded in our complaints register and reviewed by the Registered Manager.
• Analysed for patterns and trends on a quarterly basis.
• Reported to our governance and quality meetings.
• Used to identify required changes to care plans, procedures, training, or staffing.

Where appropriate, anonymised learning from complaints is shared with the wider care team through supervisions, team meetings, or updated working procedures. We believe transparency and honest reflection are the foundations of safe, high-quality care.

If a complaint indicates that a person may have been abused, harmed, or placed at risk of harm by a Kome Care employee or through the delivery of our services, we will immediately activate our safeguarding procedures in addition to the complaints process.

Safeguarding the welfare of people in our care takes absolute priority. In such circumstances, we will:

• Report immediately to the relevant Local Authority Safeguarding Adults Board (SAB).
• Notify the CQC as required under Regulation 18 (Notification of Other Incidents).
• Take any urgent protective action necessary to prevent further harm.

Please see our Safeguarding Policy for full details. If you believe someone is in immediate danger, call 999 immediately.

All complaint information is treated as strictly confidential and stored securely in accordance with UK GDPR and our Privacy Policy. Complaint records are accessible only to staff who have a legitimate need to know for investigation purposes.

Complaint records are retained for a minimum of 3 years from the date of resolution, after which they are securely destroyed.

Where a complaint involves a third party (e.g. a care worker), we will protect the confidentiality of that individual in our response to the extent that it does not prevent us from being transparent about the outcome and any action taken.