SLT meeting about complaint - anyone used ICAS?

[appropriatelytrained]

I have finally got the local NHS trust to organise a meeting about my SLT complaint.

I don't want to bore you all with the details - again! But I wanted to take an observer and wondered if anyone had used ICAS -the Independent Complaints Advocacy Service.

It is supposed to be independent but how many times do you hear that?

Would you use them? If not, who else would you suggest?

I don't know anything about ICAS but found PALS helpful. link here:www.pals.nhs.uk/

Thanks. Long history to this one which includes PALS ignoring me and my emails asking for their assistance with this complaint!

I was looking for someone outside the Trust but wasn't sure how 'independent' ICAS are.

Never heard of them.

Don't know if they offer this service but I think 'Contact a Family' have people on their books that offer advocacy and independent support (for a small fee usually). I haven't spoken to them much if I am honest but when I have they have both believed my story and not acted surprised.

Perhaps worth a call.

Thanks Star I will look into that.

The ICA service seems to be contracted out and runs under different names in different areas. See this

The Health Service Ombudsman seems keen to recommend complainants use this service as do hospitals which always makes me suspciious

Why don't you call them, have a bit of a rant and see whether they try to convince you that all regulatory systems are fair, or whether they sympathise and share your frustrations.

I spoke to someone earlier before I went to the PHSO and his knowledge of the systems which should be in place regarding things like access to records seemed to be less than mine.

Professionally, they will say they are not there to comment on the validity of your complaint but to assist you make it.

I don't want to end up in a meeting with some wet type who undermines me by saying 'well that sounds fair' when they try to explain how they've refused me records for the last 8 months.

But of course, these things end up being so labyrinthine in their complexity that only you can understand the step by step duplicity!

From my recollection, some of the people on the CAF books are largely parents of children with ASD who are on the spectrum themselves and as such are a force to be reckoned with wrt 'systems'.

It's a shame the NAS aren't the same. They SO could be.

I used to come across them professionally many years ago. They were independent - like CABs but for medical issues. As anything in life quality varied and yes they would be most useful to those who have difficulty writing a complaint themselves or attending a meeting rather than finer legal points, but some of them were excellent. I am surprised they are still going! I would speak to your local one and see what response you get and if you feel it would add value. I suspect it depends on the individual.

I have used them, I have experienced some really nice people coming along to meetings but when it comes to actually doing anything post meeting or producing minutes from meetings they have not really done anything.

If you do use this service I think it's probably really important to be very clear about what your expectations are and ensure they can meet them or you may be in the position of actually making more work for yourself as I feel I did. You probably would have done so anyway AT, but just in case it helps I thought I would give you a suggestion of what I would do next time (if I use them again) based on my experience.

I also had a sneeking suspicion that they may have been liaising with the service I was complaining about without my knowledge, but this really was just a hunch I have no evidence.

Thanks. After making contact, they do seem a bit wet and reluctant to get involved.

I have looked at the contact a family site but there doesn't seem to be any activity in this area. I will contact them and see if they have any suggestions.

I am really looking for someone to be an impartial observer but to also support the valid points I am making about poor practices. I do not see ICAS being interested in doing this.