Complaints Procedure Feedback from service users, tutors and volunteers on how we deal with them is invaluable in helping us to continuously improve. Negative feedback and complaints are particularly helpful in pinpointing what we need to do better, and if we deal with complaints effectively, we can often improve our relationships overall. Complaints may be received by any Committee Member and may arrive in many different ways – by letter or e-mail, by comments on a feedback form or in person, or by phone. Contact details are available on the web site www.newfoundationshe.com, Feedback Procedure and on the Wise Up website. The process for dealing with and recording complaints is given below
Stage 1 Record Complaint If a complaint is received, Parts 1 and 2 of the Complaint Form will be completed. This must be done by the person first receiving the complaint.
Stage 2 Investigating
The person receiving the complaint will decide, with other Committee Members, who will investigate the complaint. The complainant will be informed of this decision. The Investigator will gather any further information necessary. This may include where appropriate
i. asking the complainant for further information,
ii. contacting the person the complaint has been made against to ask for their version of events
iii. contacting any witnesses to the event
iv. asking the complainant what action they would like to be taken to resolve the complaint
Stage 3 Reporting to Committee
The findings of the investigation will be presented to the next Committee meeting for discussion. The action to be taken as a result of the findings will be agreed. The complainant will be informed of these findings and the action agreed on. If the complaint has been made about a member of the Committee, that member may be asked to leave the room while the complaint is discussed. This will be noted in the Minutes of the meeting.
Stage 4 Corrective Action may be a) Offering an apology. An apology may be offered either by the Committee on behalf of New Foundations or by the individual involved. b) Changing individual actions: If the problem has come about as a result of individual actions, the individual will be asked to review their actions to avoid similar occurrences in future. Extra support and training will be arranged where necessary and possible.
c) Changing a process: If the problem has come about as result of our general ways of working, New Foundations policies, procedures and/or processes will be reviewed and changed where necessary.
Stage 5 Recording Complaints All forms, correspondence and reports will be retained with Committee Records for a minimum period of two years.
Stage 6 If the Complainant is not happy with the outcome If the Complainant is not happy with the action taken to resolve the complaint he or she should contact any Committee Member or write to the Committee and ask for the findings to be reviewed. The matter will be discussed again at the next Committee Meeting and further investigations may take place.