Independent Health Complaints Advocacy Service

Ealing Council has awarded a contract to provide an independent Health Complaints Advocacy Service from 1st April 2021.

The Health and Social Care Act 2012 transferred the responsibility of commissioning NHS Complaints Advocacy services from Central Government to Local Government.

The previous multi-borough 'Independent Health Complaints Advocacy Service' contract ended on March 31st, 2021.

Ealing Council has procured a one replacement Service which started on 1st April 2021.

The key aspect of the Service is the focus on empowering and supporting individuals to go through the complaints procedures for health services, to assist them in finding a resolution to their complaint(s) about the care or treatment they receive.

The Service delivers services that meet the legal requirements as described in the Health and Social Care Act 2012 and any current or future regulations and/or legislations

The Service supports patients, service users, residents, their family, carer or representative, with a complaint or grievance related to any aspect of healthcare as described in the Health and Social Care Act 2012, including that which falls under the remit of the Health Service Ombudsman , such as complaints about poor treatment or service provided through health services in England.

The Service also supports individual complaints when they concern health and social care services (and not one service in particular). The Service will support the individual through the appropriate complaints process(es). This may result in the Service supporting an individual through to the Local Government Ombudsman (for a social care service complaint).