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Complaints Policy

Introduction

Compass Disability Services is committed to enabling members, users and those that come into contact with our projects/services to influence and easily voice their views and opinions about our organisation and the projects we facilitate, and are able to seek to effect change where possible and appropriate.

In line with our Equal Opportunities Policy, Compass Disability Services is committed to identifying and eliminating all forms of discrimination, providing equal opportunities to all and promoting diversity throughout our organisation. All people that come into contact with our organisation can expect to be treated fairly, with respect, dignity and understanding.

Definition

A complaint may be about any aspect of our organisation, including the services or projects. There is scope for complaints to range from simple matters regarding an everyday aspect of the organisation, to serious allegations concerning unacceptable behaviour on the part of staff, volunteers, users, or others associated with the organisation.

Procedure

We recognise that it is not always possible to solve a problem in an informal manner, therefore a Complaints Procedure has been drawn up to offer different stages by which complaints can be heard.

Advocacy

Anyone wishing to complain has the right to have support from a person who is independent from Compass Disability Services. This person could help as a friend to give confidence and help someone explain their complaint, or they could be instructed to write or speak on behalf of the complainant.

Monitoring Complaints

Compass Disability Services will regularly review complaints that have been made, however informal, in order to monitor the effective running of the organisation, services and projects. If necessary or upon request, this will be done without revealing the identity of complainants, and will contain only those details necessary for Compass Disability Services to consider the broader issues raised by the complaint.

Confidentiality

Where possible a complainant’s wish for confidentiality will be respected. However, this may not always be possible if the complaint is to be dealt with adequately. For example, if the complainant does not wish to reveal their name or the name of the person they are complaining about it will be difficult to investigate some types of complaints.

If the complaint involves issues that will affect other members or service users it may not be possible to keep total confidentiality. However, in all cases, information shared will be strictly limited to that which is relevant to the complaints procedure, and will only be shared with those involved in the investigation or to others to whom it is relevant. Information will not be shared without informing the complainant in advance.

Complaints Procedure

It is important that any potential complainant reads and understands this procedure. It might be helpful to look at this procedure with someone.

All complainants can expect to be treated fairly, with respect, dignity and understanding whoever you are and whatever your background.

All complainants have a right to support from someone outside of Compass Disability Services. If you do not know of anyone and would like help, we can give advice about independent organisations that can give support and advice in complete confidence, or for more information about advocacy services available the Citizens Advice Bureau might be able to help; they may also have a list of organisations that offer advocacy services.

If the complainant is going to ask someone to represent them in the complaints procedure, we may ask for a written statement confirming this.

This procedure refers to ‘working days’ this means between Monday and Friday.

Stage One

Raise the issue with the person immediately concerned as soon as possible and try, together, to resolve the matter informally. You may like a friend or advocate to assist you with this.

If it is not possible to settle the problem this way, or you feel unable to discuss the problem with the person concerned, you should contact the Chief Executive Officer, either in person, by telephone, or in writing.

If the complaint is about the Chief Executive Officer then you should begin the complaints procedure at Stage Three.

Stage Two

Ask the Chief Executive Officer for a private meeting because you want to make a complaint. This meeting will take place within 5 working days unless the Chief Executive Officer is legitimately absent from work (meaning he/she is on sick leave or annual leave), in which case an appointment will be made for as soon as possible.

At the meeting the nature of your complaint will be written down in a format acceptable to you, and the Chief Executive Officer may ask you some questions about the complaint.

After the meeting, the Chief Executive Officer will inform the Chair of the Board of Trustees of Compass Disability Services that a complaint has been made. The Chief Executive Officer will make further investigations and try to resolve the complaint to your satisfaction as speedily as possible. This may involve talking to other people immediately involved, and/or further meetings with you, or with you and others.

The Chief Executive Officer must inform you fully and in writing of the result of the investigations within 10 working days of the first meeting, unless you specifically agree to a longer period, and will inform the Chair of the Board of Trustees of the result.

If you are dissatisfied with the result of the investigation, you can further complain to the Chair of the Board of Trustees of Compass Disability Services.

Stage Three

If you are dissatisfied with the result of Stage Two, you should make your complaint in writing to the Compass Disability Services office, addressed to the Chair of the Board of Trustees, marked “Strictly Private and Confidential”. There is no time limit for this, but it must be realised that the longer the interval is between finding out the result of Stage Two and the complaint being made to the Chair of the Board of Trustees, the more difficult it may become to investigate the complaint satisfactorily.

On receipt of the complaint the Chair of the Board of Trustees will meet with you within 10 working days, unless you agree to a longer period.

Following the meeting, the Chair of the Board of Trustees will make further investigations, as he/she feels necessary and he/she will inform the Board of Trustees that a complaint has been received.

The Chair of the Board of Trustees will inform you of the decision , with reasons , in writing within 10 working days. The decision of the Chair of the Board of Trustees shall be final, subject only to the appeals procedure outlined below.

Appeals Procedure

If you wish to appeal against the Chair of the Board of Trustees decision you can write to the appropriate department for the service/project listed below. Where the service is not listed the decision of the Chair of the Board of Trustees will be final.

It is advisable to make your appeal in writing. On receipt of your appeal, the Complaints Officer will appoint an independent arbiter to investigate your complaint and the way it has been dealt with.

The Independent Arbiter will contact you within 10 working days from receipt of your complaint. The Independent Arbiter will inform you of the length of time this stage of the complaints procedure is anticipated to take. The decision from this investigation will be given in writing, and this decision will be final.

Somerset Projects

Somerset Access & Inclusion Network (SAIN)

Forum for Equality & Diversity in Somerset (FEDS)

Contact: Complaints Manager

Community Directorate

Somerset County Council

County Hall

Taunton

TA1 4DY

Wiltshire Projects

Wiltshire Direct Payment Support Service (WDPSS)

Contact:

Senior Contracts Officer

Wiltshire County Council

County Hall

Bythesea Road

Trowbridge

BA14 8JN