Ask Listen Do About feedback, concerns and complaints
Making conversations count across education, health and social care
I've had to make a number of different complaints. I've had a whole range of experiences.
Communication is a challenge, and if I don't have enough help it just becomes a whole wide
remit trying to make these complaints and it can take me months to actually, you know,
to have anything taken on board.
Hi, my name is Katie. And my name is Carl. We work in the learning disability programme
at NHS England.
This film is about when people with learning disabilities, autism or both want to give
feedback, raise concerns or make complaints.
Feedback means being able to say what you like or do not like about the services you
receive - good or bad.
A concern is when you have a worry or problem you can sort out by talking to somebody.
A complaint can happen if a concern is not sorted out. If you complain an organisation
must follow rules to try and sort it out.
It is also about when families, paid carers and friends want to do it on their behalf.
Whether it be about health, social care or education. This film is about helping people
to have good outcomes.
Just like my friend Aaron.
Aaron's story is about a complaint that was made to NHS England.
Aaron, come on, it's ok you can do this.
Good morning, you're speaking to Amelia from the Customer Contact Centre. Can I take your
name please?
My name is Aaron. I want to complain about a Doctor.
OK. That's fine, I just need to ask you a few questions first.
Aaron - tell them you have a learning disability and autism.
Can I just tell you I've got a learning disability and autism and I'm finding this phone call
pretty difficult.
Don't worry we can take it slowly. I can always repeat what I've said or use different words
if that helps.
Can I ask for your consent to contact the service you want to complain about.
You may be asked for your consent to share your records.
Your consent means it's okay for us to get in touch with them if we need to.
Yes, that's OK. I give you permission to speak to my doctor.
Have you complained about this before?
No, I don't like complaining about people.
What is your complaint about? I'll take a few notes as we talk to make sure the information
we give to your GP is right.
I had an appointment and I couldn't understand what the doctor was saying to me and I asked
him to speak to my Support Worker instead of me.
So you went to an appointment with your GP and you didn't understand what they were trying
to say?
No, I had a phone call with my GP because I asked him to ring me regarding my medicine.
My GP said, I don't need to speak to your Support Worker because I've already told you
what to do.
Does the GP know that you have a Support Worker?
I don't know because I usually see another doctor.
Ok. What would you like us to do for you today?
I want the doctor to say sorry for saying words I don't understand. He did not listen
to me and he should have spoken to my Support Worker.
Yes, that's called a reasonable adjustment because of your disabilities. It's your right
to ask the doctor to talk to your Support Worker if that's what will help you. Okay,
I'll pass this information on to one of our Complaints Officers to investigate. The Complaints
Officer will look into your complaint, one of them will get in touch to let you know
what's happened.
In some other organisations, one person might stay in touch from the beginning to the end.
Thank you. I feel so much better speaking to you about it Amelia. What are reasonable
adjustments?
Okay, so the law says organisations should change how they do things to help you, if
you've got a learning disability, autism or both. That's called a reasonable adjustment.
So, you could ask the doctor to put it in your notes that that you have a learning disability
and autism and ask them to make sure they speak to your Support Worker as well as you
next time. Okay, so just to check, what happens next Aaron?
Someone will be in contact with me again. When will that be? And they will speak to
my Support Worker as well as me?
I'll arrange for someone to contact you in a few weeks time when will be best for you?
After 10 please, and will I get in trouble for complaining?
No, it's always good to say if you're not happy about your care or how somebody is treating
you.
People with a learning disability, autism or both are entitled to reasonable adjustments
for their disabilities under the Equality Act and the Human Rights Act. Reasonable adjustments
are often simple things that can stop a lot of problems from happening.
Reasonable adjustments.
I recommend you know what reasonable judgments you want making because if the person at the
other end of the phone will only be able to help you if you can help them understand.
It helps to have somebody with me when I'm making the phone call that knows me well if
I can find somebody. I mean I can't in all cases, but if I can't, then to ask for reasonable
adjustments. I always mention that I have autism, but I have some challenges with my
communication. So, I'm fairly up front at the beginning of the call to sort of try and
let the person at the other end know that I may have some difficulties so that hopefully
helps them understand that I have some need.
I think as a family carer, you often are very emotionally involved and it's sometimes it's
hard to see things clearly. So it's talk to someone who's outside the situation. It could
be a friend or a relative but someone who's not in the middle of it who can help you clarify
what outcomes you want to achieve and what the best way is of doing it.
It's trying to be really clear and get the emotion out of anything.
I had queries about how and why my direct payments were being limited. My social worker
organised a meeting between myself, her and her boss. They brought me in as an equal and
they spoke to me in a way that was appropriate to my level of understanding.
And persevere is another thing. You know if I don't succeed the first time I'll try again,
you know. This Ask Listen and Do project is really helpful because it’s now a way of
sort of listening to the community of
people with autism.