Comments, Compliments & Compliant Procedure Policy

BLESSTCIC COMMENTS, COMPLIMENTS & COMPLIANT PROCEDURE POLICY

BLESSTCIC is committed to using client feedback to assess customer satisfaction and review, shape and develop Advice and Support services accordingly.

A range of methods is used to gain such feedback; however, an accessible, usable and relevant complaints procedure is fundamental to ensure the service users’ views are used to improve the delivery of services. To make the procedure more accessible, it offers a means for registering comments, compliments, and complaints about services. This allows the clients to question the organisation without, by implication, having to judge it.

Complaint Policy:

This section outlines the BLESSTCIC approach to complaints. “A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction, however, about the standard of service provided, actions, or lack of action by the Organisation, its staff or agents, which affect any individual service-user or group of service users”.

The BLESSTCIC is committed to the following policy whenever we investigate a complaint about our services, our staff or agents, or our procedure from any service users.

We will operate an open and accountable Comments, Compliment and Complaint Procedure to ensure the service user receives a fair and impartial consideration of the complaint and a thoroughly investigated response in an agreed period.
We will operate a straightforward, simple, and widely publicised procedure that suits service users and guides how to complain.
We will promote a positive culture about complaints to ensure that staff understands both policy and procedure, are trained and supported and that front-line staff, where appropriate, can resolve matters directly and speedily to the satisfaction of the service user without recourse to the formal procedure. Training will incorporate a sense of shared responsibility for service delivery across all disciplines.
We will accept complaints verbally, in person or by, in writing by letter or on the Complaints form, or in any other reasonable format which meets service users’ needs (e.g. audiotape). We will also accept complaints submitted by advocates and others on behalf of applicants and service users and welcome the input of advocates and others.
Receipt of the complaint will be acknowledged within ten working days, along with information to the service user about who is dealing with their complaint, how they will contact and the date by which they will receive a written response.
We will respond to service users within agreed timescales at each stage, explaining what action is being taken and what else they can do if they are still dissatisfied.
We will offer service users a right of appeal if they remain dissatisfied with our initial response.
We will ensure systematic monitoring of each complaint and the complaints process to ensure that procedures are adhered to and to feed into the development of policy and best practise.

Introduction: Comments, Compliments and Complaints are essential sources of information about service user satisfaction. BLESSTCIC welcomes and encourages such feedback to improve the quality of service provided continuously.

Purpose: This procedure is intended to provide a means for.

Resolving situations where service users are dissatisfaction with our Advice and Support services, our staff or agents, or our procedures (complaints).
Using positive feedback from service users to inform the development of services and procedures (compliments).
Looking at aspects of the services and identifying any necessary action, which may involve providing information to service users or making changes to service/procedures (comments).

Informal Resolution: All service users can choose whether to make comments, compliments or complaints formally or informally. Encouraging and acting on feedback enables staff to focus on what the service user is saying and to resolve the issues informally. Front-line staff receives and responds to comments, compliments and complaints on a day-to-day basis and, more often than not, can informally resolve a wide range of issues to the satisfaction of the service user. In all cases where feedback is resolved informally, appropriate records should be kept and reported to the line manager or team to shape future policy or practice. A simple standard form should be completed by the staff member who received the informal complaint and countersigned by an individual who made it. Confirming that the matter has been resolved to their satisfaction, Copies of these forms should be passed to the line manager, who can decide whether there is a need to review current policies or practise. The formal Procedure should be followed if a service user chooses to formalise their Comment, Compliment or Complaint.

Formal Resolution: There are three stages to an internal procedure as Follows:

Stage One: All formal complaints, compliments and quires should be sent to the Organisations Manager. A complaint does not need to be made in writing. Verbal complaints are acceptable, as are complaints through advocates or others. Where a comment, compliment or complaint is made verbally. The member of staff should complete the relevant form. On receipt of the complaint, the Organisation’s Manager should complete the Complaints investigation form, and a letter of acknowledgement should be sent to the service user within ten working days. This letter should thank them for their positive comments have been referred to the relevant office/department/person.

For any investigation or seeking additional information is required, the service user should be contacted to inform them of the continuing delay and further deadlines must be set and adhered to. Once the necessary information is collected and a decision made, a letter detailing the outcome of the investigation and any action taken as a result should be sent to the service user within ten working days.

Stage Two: If the service user is not satisfied with the outcome of stage 1 of the procedure or feels that the procedure has not been followed, the stage is to appeal to Further. This appeal can be made verbally or in writing.

Monitoring: 2 standard forms will be used for the formal complaint procedure. Comments, Compliments and Complaints, which are resolved informally, should be recorded in the Comments, Compliments and Complaints file. These should then be fed back to the Line Manager/staff team through Joint Review meetings or team meetings in order to

raise issues and identify action where appropriate.

Attitude: BLESSTCIC recognises that any feedback is an essential source of information on the level of user satisfaction and uses the feedback gained to improve the quality of Advice and Support service provided continually. Complaints are generally regarded as “bad news” or a negative issue. However, it is possible to look at complaints as a positive opportunity to learn more about what our service users want from us and how we can improve our service. Therefore, BLESSTCIC’s approach to complaints encourages service users to complain if they are not happy with an aspect of the service and to welcome this feedback along with comments/views or compliments. Any staff member investigating a complaint should investigate the matter by taking a problem-solving approach and not being defensive. The primary purpose is to find a satisfactory resolution and to learn and take positive action concerning the BLESSTCIC policies and practices.

Advocates: Our Procedure allows for comments, compliments, and complaints to be registered by a relative, friend, or other individual on behalf of a service user. These will be treated the same way as those made by service users.

Information to Clients: All service users should be made aware of our comments, compliments, and complaints, and they should be given a copy of the leaflet on the procedure for service users. In addition, clients should be regularly reminded and encouraged to use the procedure.

Maintaining Confidentiality

Complaints will be handled with discretion, and access to information about individual investigations will only be shared with those who have a legitimate access requirement. In determining access requirements, the BLESST Centre will have regard to legislative requirements, such as data protection regulations, freedom of information legislation, internal policies on confidentiality, and the use of complainant information.

Information about individual complaints will only be shared with those who need access for a legitimate BLESST centre purpose. This includes staff investigating and responding to the complaint.

Where possible, staff members should be informed if a complaint has been made about them or actions they were responsible for. BLESSTCIC has a duty of care to staff who complain about it as well as to complainants. We will ensure staff members have an opportunity to respond to the allegations made, where appropriate.

Individuals have the right to access information concerning them; for example, complainants (and other parties to the complaint) are entitled to access the information about them gathered by complaint investigators. Exceptions to the right to access information about oneself include occasions where disclosure would have an adverse impact on health and wellbeing, management planning, negotiations or the prevention or detection of crime.

Promises of confidentiality will only be given when necessary to obtain a witness's cooperation. For example, a witness to an alleged assault may be unwilling to provide a statement to complaint investigators without a promise of confidentiality. Pledges of confidentiality will be specific and agreed upon by a senior manager.

Complex Complaints and Unacceptable Behaviour

Some complaints can be challenging to deal with because of their complexity or sensitivity, and some can be difficult because BLESSTCIC may have got things wrong and must apologise. Others can be difficult because of the approach of the person making the complaint. All employees should remember that sticking to the facts and keeping emotion out of the situation will help. Regardless of the manner in which a complaint is made and pursued, its substance must be considered carefully and on its objective merits.

If an employee believes that the person commenting is being abusive, offensive or threatening, he/she is not expected to tolerate such behaviour; if it occurs on the phone or face to face, the employee should make a note of what is being said and should terminate the conversation politely and calmly as soon as possible. The employee should refer the matter to their line manager, who will deal with the situation in accordance with the Bullying and Harassment procedure. It may be necessary to require the person making the comments to communicate only in a particular way, e.g., in writing and not by phone, or to communicate only with a designated employee; however, every attempt should be made to continue to deal with the complaint.

Communicating and reporting - if the BLESST Centre decides not to progress the complaint because it deems the complainant’s behaviour to be unacceptable, the complainant will be informed in writing of our reasons for such a decision, which will be taken by a senior member of staff and will generally be final.

Agreed on behalf of the Management Committee.

Date: 31/03/2024

Signed: ……………