15. Further Help

Local Authority Social Services Department
For your local authority social services department, look under the name of your council in the phone book.

For information about benefits, contact your local social security, Jobcentre or Jobcentre Plus office or look at the Department for Works and Pensions website

The website of the Department for Works and Pensions

You can get various leaflets on care services, care homes and NHS funded nursing care from the Department of Health's Health Literature Line.
phone: 0800 555 777

The Health and Social Care Guide for Wales is available from Social Services, the NHS, libraries and Citizens Advice Bureaux.

The website of the NHS (Wales)

NHS Direct
For information on medical complaints, local and national self-help and support groups, your rights as a patient and how to make a complaint.
phone: 0845 46 47

The website of NHS Direct

The Health Service Ombudsman
phone: 020 7217 4051 or 0845 0154033 (England)
phone: 029 2039 4621 or 0845 6010987 (Wales)

The website of the Health Service Ombudsman

Age Concern
phone: 0800 009 966
7am to 7pm every day to request written information (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm if you want to speak to an adviser)

The website of Age Concern

Help the Aged
phone: 020 7278 114 (9 am to 4pm Monday and Friday)
Sneiorline: 0808 800 6565, office hours
Care Fees Advisory Service: 0500 767476, office hours

The website of Help the Aged

Counsel and Care
Phone: 0845 300 7585
Monday to Friday 10am to 1pm

The website of Counsel and Care

CARERS UK
phone: 0808 808 7777 (weekdays 10am-12 noon and 2pm-4pm)

The website of Carers National Association

Local Government Ombudsman (England)
phone: 0845 602 1983

The website of the Local Government Ombudsman (England)

Local Government Ombudsman (Wales)
phone: 01656 661325

The website of the Local Government Ombudsman (Wales)

National Care Standards Commission (England)
phone: 0191 233 3600

The website of the National Care Standards Commission (England)