Who do I need to talk to find out more?

Contact your local department of Social Work and Housing and ask to speak with the Duty Social Worker.  Or speak with the member of staff working with you.  The Lothian Centre for Integrated Living who have a lot of experience of helping people to set up and run their direct payments. 

For more information:

• contact your nearest Department of Social Work and Housing office -

• An information pack is available to go with this leaflet.
• Lothian Centre for Integrated Living, Norton Park, 57 Albion Road, Edinburgh, EH7 5QY.  Telephone: 0131 475 2350.   www.lothiancil.org.uk
• Direct Payments Scotland: 27 Beaverhall Road, Edinburgh, EH7 4JE.  Telephone:  0131 558 3450 or http://www.dpscotland.org.uk.  The Scottish Executive funds this organisation to promote direct payments.
• The Scottish Executive have produced a free booklet: A guide to receiving direct payments from Scottish Executive, 2ER, St Andrew’s House, Regent Road, Edinburgh, EH1 3DG.  Telephone 0131 244 3523.  It is also available at www.scotland.gov.uk (see publications section, Home Department.)  Scottish Executive guidance for  councils can also be seen on this website
• Scottish Consortium for Learning Disability have produced information for people with learning disabilities, Direct Payments:  Frequently Asked Questions, 2002 from Scottish Consortium for Learning Disabilities, Adelphi Centre Room 16, 12 Commercial Road, Glasgow, G5 0PQ.  Telephone: 0141 418 5420.  http://www.scld.org.uk/
• For people with mental health difficulties, The National Centre for Independent Living, 250 Kennington Lane, London SE11 5RD has useful information: Direct payments for Mental Health Users/Survivors: a guide to some key issues.  www.ncil.org.uk
• ENABLE provides information sheets about the Adults with Incapacity Act and what this means for people with learning disabilities.  ENABLE Information Service, 6th Floor, 7 Buchanan Street, Glasgow, G1 3HL, 0141 226 4541.  www.enable.org.uk

How to make a comment, complaint or suggestion about your assessment or a council service

If there is anything that you don't agree with, get in touch with the member of staff working with you or their manager and ask for a second opinion.  Or you can get a Feedback form from your local council office.  This tells you about the council's complaints procedures.  It includes a form where you can make your comments.  Post the form to the council.  (You don’t have to pay for stamps – just use the Freepost address on the leaflet.)  Or, you can phone our Complaints Officer to chat things through on 01620 827497. 

You can also take your complaint to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, although it is usually better to use the Council's complaints procedure first.  You should contact the Ombudsman within 12 months of the date that you first noticed the problem you are complaining about.  In special circumstances, the Ombudsman may be prepared to deal with matters that have gone on longer than 12 months.  Please write to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, 4 Melville Street, Edinburgh, EH3 7NS. 
Tel: 0870 011 5378, Text: 0790 049 4372 Fax: 0870 011 5379,
e-mail: enquiries@scottishombudsman.org.uk

If you want to make a complaint about a registered service, you can also contact the Care Commission, Compass House, 11 Riverside Drive, Dundee
DD1 4NY.  Tel: 01382 207100.  Fax: 01382 207289.  Lo-call: 0845 6030890

First published June 2003

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