Our offices
Lewes office (registered head office)
Southdown, 2 Bell Lane, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 1JU.
Phone: 01273 405 800
Email: General Enquiries: info@southdown.org Recruitment Enquiries: jobs@southdown.org Media Enquiries: communications@southdown.org.
Open hours: Monday to Thursday from 8.30 am to 5 pm, and Friday from 8.30 am to 4.30 pm.
For a map of our location, click here. For a map of local parking, click here. For information about public transport, click here.
Brighton and Hove office (and Learning and Community Hub)
35 New England Street, Brighton, BN1 4GQ
Phone: 01273 749 500
Hailsham office
Prospects House, 7/9 George Street, Hailsham, East Sussex, BN27 1AD
Phone: 01323 340 151
Have your say
We really care about what you think. Whether you want to let us know about something you’re not happy with, highlight something you appreciated, or make a formal complaint – we want to hear from you. Your feedback helps us understand what we’re doing well and where we can improve. Every comment matters and helps us shape better services for everyone.
We also welcome feedback from anyone who interacts with us, including relatives, friends of clients, and health and social care professionals.
Not happy about something?
We want to hear from you!
Whether you want to make a complaint or just let us know there’s something you’re not happy about, we want to hear it. We always take your feedback seriously. We listen, we want to get things right, and we’re committed to learning from our mistakes. If something hasn’t gone well, we’ll do our best to understand what happened and work with you to try to resolve it.
Let us know what you are not happy with by completing our Have Your Say form using the link below:
If you need any assistance in completing the form, you can ask a member of staff to help.
Other ways to contact us
There are lots of other ways for you to give us feedback (including where we have got things right). You can do this by:
• Telling a member of staff or manager
• Completing feedback forms in the service
• Emailing us at feedback@southdown.org
• Writing to us at 2 Bell Lane, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 1JU
• Filling in our Feedback Form
Your feedback will always be treated in confidence and will only be discussed with people who need to know.
If you would like to make a formal complaint, it is best to do so as soon as possible after a problem has been identified. Activities we carry out whilst looking into a complaint will be written down so there is a clear record of the issues raised, and actions taken. You will be treated fairly, and your complaint will not impact the quality of service you are receiving now or in the future.
Consent
If you are making a complaint on behalf of someone who uses a Southdown service, we will need to confirm that they are happy for you to act on their behalf. If they tell us they do not give their consent, we will not be able to proceed with the complaint.
Additional support
If you need the help of a translator or interpreter to make a complaint, please let us know and we can try to arrange this.
If you need more time during the complaints process because of a disability, let us know. We’ll be happy to adjust our deadlines to make sure you have the time and support you need.
If you are not happy with how we have handled your complaint
If you feel your concerns were not addressed through the investigation and response or are not satisfied with the way your complaint was handled, you have the right to complain to external agencies which fund and regulate Southdown. These are:
Tenants or shared owners of a Southdown property:
Housing Ombudsman Service
PO Box 152
Liverpool
L33 7WQ
Telephone: 0300 111 3000
Website: https://www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk/
Email: info@housing-ombudsman.org.uk
You can also contact the Housing Ombudsman at any stage during your complaint if you feel we haven’t followed our processes properly.
Learning disabilities services:
Care Quality Commission (CQC)
Tel: 03000 616161
Email: enquiries@cqc.org.uk
Website: https://www.cqc.org.uk
You can also contact the organisation that funds the support—often the local authority. If you’re not sure who that is, we can let you know.
Mental health services:
Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
Helpline Number: 0345 015 4033
Email: england.contactus@nhs.net
Address: Millbank Tower, 30 Millbank, London
You have a legal right under the NHS Constitution to make a complaint about any NHS service and to access independent support. If you would like help making a complaint, you can contact your local Healthwatch. They provide independent advice and support. You find contact details for your local Healthwatch, visit: https://www.healthwatch.co.uk/your-local-healthwatch/list
Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO):
If you want to make a complaint about how we have used your personal information you can contact the ICO at:
The Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, SK9 5AF
Telephone: 0303 123 1113
https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/data-protection-complaints/
Confidential reporting (Whistleblowing)
‘Whistleblowing’ is the act of someone speaking out and disclosing information about wrongdoing in the workplace. This could mean highlighting possible unlawful activities, failures to comply with legal obligations, miscarriages of justice or reporting on risks to the health and safety of individuals or to the environment.
Whistleblowing is viewed by Southdown as a positive act that can make a valuable contribution to ensuring Southdown delivers its mission to provide exceptional community support services. All concerns raised will be treated with respect and in the strictest of confidence. If you wish to raise a concern, please refer to our Confidential Reporting (Whistleblowing) Policy below, which provides further information on the process, and relevant contact details.