The Welsh Government has launched a consultation on how concerns and complaints about social services in Wales are dealt with.
It has said that everyone who makes a complaint about social services in Wales has a right to be listened to properly and have their concerns resolved quickly and effectively.
The Welsh Government wants to introduce a two-stage complaints process as part of a Bill for Social Services reform.
The proposed complaints procedure includes an independent investigation in the remit of the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales.
It will also bring the social services complaints process in line with a simplified complaints policy that operates across all public service providers in Wales:
Informal resolution; i.e. frontline staff resolving concerns on the spot;
Formal resolution; i.e. through a central complaints service within an organisation;
Independent external consideration by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales.
Gwenda Thomas, Deputy Minister for Social Services and Children said: “This consultation is about making sure that the complaints process is easy to understand and access and that people are able to get the help and support they need to raise their concerns.
“We want to make the process of dealing with concerns and complaints as straightforward as possible and consistent across all areas of social services, including those who pay for their own care.
“We think that this can best be done by improving the arrangements already in place to make the process simpler and by giving wider access to the services available from the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales.
“Overall the current complaints process can be frustrating and very stressful, we want to make it easier for people to raise concerns and complaints when necessary.”
The 12-week consultation will run until May 30.