Decision details

While the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman’s new Complaint Handling Code does not apply to Public Health Complaints, it provides a revised definition of a complaint. It is intended that by adopting the revised definition there will be greater consistency across Council services.

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The following amendments to the definition:

Darlington Borough Council defines a complaint as:

An expression of dissatisfaction, however made, about the standard of service, actions or lack of action by the organisation, its own staff, or those acting on its behalf, affecting an individual or group of individuals.”

This procedure deals with complaints about the exercise of our public health functions, any services provided on our behalf in relation to our public health functions and any other function for which the Director of Public Health has responsibility. These may include for example, smoking cessation services, interventions to tackle obesity such as community lifestyle and weight management services, locally-led nutrition initiatives, addiction services, public mental health services, public dental services and behavioural and lifestyle campaigns to prevent cancer and other long term conditions. Organisations that provide these services on our behalf include, the NHS and third sector organisations. We refer to these as ‘service providers’.

The complaints process

The process has one stage following which, if you remain dissatisfied you may refer your complaint to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.

To make the above amendment to the Council’s Public Health Complaints, Compliments and Comments Procedure. To include additional text and diagram.

To adopt the definition of a complaint introduced in the new Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code, to ensure the Council has a single consistent definition of a complaint and to make the procedure clearer to people in receipt of Public Health services.

To retain the existing definition.