At Wrexham Council we are committed to dealing effectively with any concerns or complaints you may have about our services.
There are different procedures depending on the nature of your complaint. It may be that the issues are outside the jurisdiction of the complaints procedures. In such circumstances, our Complaints team will aim to provide you with advice, information or to signpost you to the correct service to address the matter.
Details of the various complaints procedures can be found below.
Information for complainants
We are committed to dealing effectively with any concerns or complaints you may have. We aim to clarify any issues of which you may be unsure. If possible, any mistakes that may have been made will be rectified.
If we got something wrong, we will offer an apology and, where appropriate, redress will be offered. We also aim to learn from mistakes and use the information to improve our services.
If you are approaching us regarding a service for the first time (for example reporting a faulty street light, requesting an appointment) then the complaints procedures do not apply.
You should first allow us the opportunity to respond to the request. If a request for a service is made and you are unhappy with the response, you will be able to make your concern known by following the relevant complaints procedure.
Timescales
Under the corporate complaints procedure, we would only usually consider complaints about issues that have occurred within the last 6 months. For statutory complaints, this is extended to 12 months. We may exceptionally be able to look at concerns which are brought to our attention later than this (however, you will have to provide strong reasons why you have not been able to bring it to our attention earlier). We will then determine if there is sufficient information about the issue to allow for it to be investigated.
Confidentiality
Please be assured that any complaint you make will be dealt with in the strictest confidence and only shared with staff or departments involved in dealing with your complaint.
You can raise any complaint or concern anonymously, though by doing so you will not be able to receive any information on the findings of the enquiries.
Your responsibilities
In times of trouble or distress, some people may act out of character. There may have been upsetting or distressing circumstances leading up to a concern or a complaint. We do not view behaviour as unacceptable simply because someone is forceful or determined.
We believe that you have the right to be heard, understood and respected, but also consider that staff have the same rights. We therefore expect you to be polite and courteous in your dealings with our staff. We will not tolerate aggressive or abusive behaviour, unreasonable demands or unreasonable persistence. The ‘Managing Customer Contact’ policy states how we will manage situations where we find a person’s actions unacceptable.
Advocacy - health and social care services
Llais North Wales is an independent statutory body, separate from both the Health Board and local authorities. Llais was established by the Welsh Government to empower the people of Wales to have a say in the planning and delivery of their health and social care services—locally, regionally, and nationally.
Llais provides a free, independent complaints advocacy and support service to anyone who raises concerns about NHS and social care treatment.