TY - JOUR
T1 - Taking Complaints Seriously
T2 - The Role of Informality in Complaints About Public Services
AU - Gulland, Jackie
PY - 2011/10
Y1 - 2011/10
N2 - Recent discussion in the UK has focused on proportionate dispute resolution to deal with people's problems with public services. Complaints procedures, which are seen to be user-friendly and informal, have been held up as good examples of proportionate dispute resolution mechanisms. Most complaints procedures include an informal first stage where, it is argued, most complaints should be resolved but there is little research evidence about what happens at this stage. This article looks at the informal stage of complaints procedures from the perspective of social care service users and considers some of the issues raised by informality.
AB - Recent discussion in the UK has focused on proportionate dispute resolution to deal with people's problems with public services. Complaints procedures, which are seen to be user-friendly and informal, have been held up as good examples of proportionate dispute resolution mechanisms. Most complaints procedures include an informal first stage where, it is argued, most complaints should be resolved but there is little research evidence about what happens at this stage. This article looks at the informal stage of complaints procedures from the perspective of social care service users and considers some of the issues raised by informality.
U2 - 10.1017/S1474746411000236
DO - 10.1017/S1474746411000236
M3 - Article
SN - 1474-7464
VL - 10
SP - 483
EP - 493
JO - Social Policy and Society
JF - Social Policy and Society
IS - 4
ER -