Comments and Complaints

Suggestions for improvement

We are continually looking at ways to improve the services we offer by regularly reviewing the ways in which we work, the services we provide and the services we purchase. If you have any suggestions for improvement, please contact our Customer Care Officer with your comments (see below for contact details).

Making a complaint

If you are unhappy with any aspect of the service you receive (whether provided directly by us or purchased by us from an independent provider), please tell us about your concerns. We can assure you that your complaint will be dealt with sensitively and in confidence.

As a first step, we suggest that you contact the manager of the service in question as it may be that the complaint can be resolved informally. If you do not wish to contact the manager or have done so and are dissatisfied with their response, please contact:

The Customer Care Officer
Social Work Services, Council Headquarters, Newtown St Boswells TD6 0SA
Freephone: 0800 0194490
Fax: 01835 825081
Email: Customer Care

Other sources of help

As well as contacting your local Councillor, the following agencies may be able to help:

Borders Independent Advocacy Service - BIAS provide a free and confidential service which is independent from the Council. They can help you fill in the complaint form, support you to express your point of view and speak on your behalf.
Care Commission - to make a complaint about a service which is registered with the Care Commission, such as a care home, day centre or childminder.
Scottish Social Services Council - if you want to complain about a worker who is registered with the SSSC.

Unhappy with the outcome of your complaint?

You can ask for your complaint to be referred to the Complaints Review Committee which is a Sub-Committee of the Council. Ask our Customer Care Officer for more information. You also have the right to complain to:

The Scottish Public Service Ombudsman
FREEPOST EH641, Edinburgh EH3 0BR
Tel: 0800 377 7330
Website: www.spso.org.uk

More information

The following documents are available to download:

Comments and Complaints leaflet (pdf 56.5Kb)
Comments and Complaints for People with a Learning Disability (pdf 240Kb)
Complaints Annual Report 2007-08 (pdf 160kb)