SCSWIS must establish a procedure by which a person, or someone acting on a person’s behalf, may make complaints (or other representations) in relation to the provision to the person of a care service or about the provision of a care service generally.

The procedure must provide for it to be available whether or not procedures established by the provider of the service for making complaints (or other representations) about that service have been or are being pursued.

Before establishing a procedure under subsection (1), SCSWIS must consult the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, all local authorities and such other persons, or groups of persons, as it considers appropriate on its proposals for such a procedure.

SCSWIS must keep the procedure under review and must vary it whenever, after such consultation, it considers it appropriate to do so.

SCSWIS must give such publicity to the procedure (including the procedure as varied under subsection (4)) as it considers appropriate and must give a copy of the procedure to any person who requests it.