New Information Sharing Agreement With Local Government Ombudsman

The agreement (known as an Information Sharing Agreement (ISA)) gives details of the principles both organisations will follow when sharing information.

This updated ISA covers how CQC and LGO share information about complaints and concerns. The agreement provides details of how both organisations have agreed to work closer together, including further development to the ‘warm transfer’ of calls between the organisations.

LGO looks at complaints about councils and some other authorities and organisations, such as adult social care providers (including care homes and home care providers). Their role is to investigate complaints in a fair and independent way. CQC uses information of concern to inform and plan our inspection activities, but cannot investigate individual complaints.

‘Warm transfers’ allow CQC’s National Customer Service Centre (NCSC) to directly transfer complaints about adult social care to the LGO whilst the complainant is still on the same call. LGO can also transfer calls to CQC where the complainant wishes to share that information with us. In 2015, 992 people were either directly transferred or signposted from NCSC to the LGO at their convenience.

The agreement also gives CQC inspectors the capability to signpost the LGO ‘best practice’ resources and guidance directly to providers during inspections. This includes information for providers on how each organisation uses complaints and information of concern.