Complaints Policy
West Mercia Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre (WMRSASC) is committed to providing high-quality support for all service users. This Complaints Policy & Procedure aims to ensure compliance with standards and regulations by promoting transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement in our services. By listening and responding to the views of our service users, we strive to address any dissatisfaction and prevent recurrence of negative experiences.
Purpose:
To ensure that all complaints are handled fairly, consistently, and resolved to the complainant’s satisfaction wherever possible. This policy promotes the prompt and effective resolution of complaints and supports the continuous improvement of our services.
Scope:
This policy applies to all service users of WMRSASC, including clients and their representatives.
Responsibilities:
Service Managers and the Chief Executive Officer: Responsible for receiving complaints, overseeing the complaints process, and ensuring timely and appropriate responses.
All Staff Members and Volunteers: Responsible for reporting complaints to their supervisors and assisting in the resolution process.
Trustees: Responsible for the annual review of the complaints policy and ensuring its effective implementation. Trustees of WMRSASC will, as a standing item on Trustee meeting agendas, regularly receive an anonymous report of complaints made and their resolutions.
Definitions:
Complaint: Any expression of dissatisfaction with WMRSASC, its staff, volunteers, or Trustees that requires a formal response.
Complainant: Any service user or their representative who lodges a complaint with WMRSASC.
Principles:
Accessibility: Making the complaint process as easy as possible for all service users.
Responsiveness: Treating complaints as clear expressions of dissatisfaction requiring immediate response.
Confidentiality: Handling all complaints with sensitivity and confidentiality when appropriate.
Accountability: Providing explanations, apologies when necessary, and information on actions taken in response to complaints.
Continuous Improvement: Learning from complaints and using them to improve our services. Reviewing the complaints policy and procedures annually.
Complaints Procedure:
Informal Complaints Process:
We recognise that many concerns will be raised informally and dealt with quickly. Our aims are to:
- Resolve informal concerns promptly.
- Keep matters low-key.
- Enable mediation between the complainant and the individual to whom the complaint has been referred, when necessary and appropriate.
Raising a Concern:
If you have a concern or issue, please bring it to the attention of the staff member you are dealing with as soon as possible.
This can often lead to a quick resolution. If you are not comfortable speaking with the staff member directly, or if you feel the issue is not resolved, please contact the service manager.
Contacting the Service Manager:
You can contact the service manager in person, by phone, or via email. The service manager will listen to your concern and work with you to find a satisfactory resolution.
Contact details for the service manager are available by calling the main office: 01905 611655 or by email: office@wmrsasc.org.uk
Mediation and Resolution:
The service manager may arrange a meeting between you and the relevant staff member to discuss the issue and seek a mutually agreeable solution.
If necessary, mediation can be facilitated to help resolve the issue in a supportive and non-confrontational manner.
Follow-Up:
The service manager will follow up with you to ensure that the resolution has been effective and that you are satisfied with the outcome.
Responsibilities:
Service Users: To raise concerns promptly and provide as much detail as possible to facilitate a quick resolution.
Staff Members: To listen to and address concerns raised by service users in a respectful and timely manner.
Service Managers: To oversee the informal complaints process, facilitate resolution, and ensure follow-up with service users. To report all informal complaints to Heads of Operations.
Confidentiality: All concerns raised through the informal complaints procedure will be handled with sensitivity and confidentiality. Information will only be shared with those necessary to resolve the issue.
If concerns cannot be satisfactorily resolved informally, the formal complaints procedure should be followed as outlined below.
Formal Complaints Procedure
Stage 1
If you are unable to resolve the issue informally, you should write to the Chief Executive Officer. If your complaint concerns the Chief Executive Officer, you should write formally to the Trustee Board. In your letter, you should set out the details of your complaint, the consequences for you as a result, and the remedy you are seeking.
You can expect your complaint to be acknowledged within seven working days of receipt. You should get a response and an explanation within three weeks.
Stage 2
If you are not satisfied with the initial response to the complaint, then you can write to WMRSASC’s Chairperson and ask for your complaint and the response to be reviewed. You can expect the Chairperson to acknowledge your request within two weeks of receipt and provide a response within 28 days. If the complaint is about the Chairperson, you should write to a different member of the Trustee Board.
Some issues may require more complex investigations and consequently longer to resolve. You will receive an interim response if more detailed investigation is needed, explaining the steps being taken and when a full reply can be expected.
Final Stage
If you are not satisfied with the subsequent reply from WMRSASC’s Chairperson, you have the option of writing to the Charity Commission at Charity Commission Direct, PO Box 1227, Liverpool, L69 3UG, stating the reason for your dissatisfaction.
Last Updated: 07th July 2024
Next Review Date: 7th July 2025