Information concerning
complaints about social workers..................with an introduction via the
GMC.
A complaint against a medical practitioner is lodged with the GMC or one of
the healthcare regulators ( the General Medical Council, the General
Chiropractic Council, the General Dental Council, the General Optical Council,
the General Osteopathic Council, the Health Professions Council, the Nursing
and Midwifery Council, the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland and the
Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain)
A complaint against the GMC or one of the other healthcare regulators
named above, must be lodged with the "Council for Healthcare Regulatory
Excellence" (CHRE). This then is the UK statutory overarching regulatory body
which would consider any appeals concerning the decisions about individual
healthcare professionals regulated by the healthcare regulators; i.e. the
General Medical Council, the General Chiropractic Council, the General Dental
Council, the General Optical Council, the General Osteopathic Council, the
Health Professions Council, the Nursing and Midwifery Council, the
Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland and the Royal Pharmaceutical
Society of Great Britain.
Now coming to social workers:
Complaints against a social worker must be made to the General Social Care
Council ( GSCC ) .
If your query relates to how someone could appeal against a GSCC decision
about an individual social worker's registration or conduct, then the
appropriate body is the Care Standards Tribunal (CST). For more information
about appeals processes and procedures, you can call the general enquiry line
of the CST on 020 7960 0660, or email
CST@CST.gsi.gov.uk or go to their website at
www.carestandardstribunal.gov.uk
If your complaint relates to the quality of GSCC services or the conduct of
GSCC staff, the GSCC has a 3 stage complaints procedure which is standard
practice. There is a 3 page complaints leaflet that you can obtain from the
GSCC, if your complaint relates to the customer service you received from GSCC.
The GSCC complaint procedure is scrutinised by the Parliamentary and Health
Service Ombudsman. If you would like to refer a complaint to the Ombudsman you
will need to speak first to your MP. The Ombudsman will not consider
complaints before a body's internal procedures have been exhausted.
