Complaints Policy
Policy Statement
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Insight Workplace Health believes that if anyone wishes to make a complaint or register a concern, they should find it easy to do so. It is our policy to welcome complaints and look upon them as an opportunity to learn, adapt, improve, and provide better services. This policy is intended to ensure that complaints are dealt with properly and that all complaints or comments are taken seriously.
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The policy is not designed to apportion blame, to consider the possibility of negligence or to provide compensation. It is NOT part of our disciplinary policy.
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We believe that failure to listen to or acknowledge complaints will lead to an aggravation of problems, dissatisfaction and litigation. We support the concept that most complaints, if dealt with early, openly, and honestly, can be sorted out between just the complainant and ourselves.
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Aim
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The aim of our establishment is to ensure that our complaints procedure is properly and effectively implemented, and that people feel confident that their complaints and worries are listened to and acted upon promptly and fairly.
Goals
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The goal of Insight Workplace Health is to ensure that:
• people are aware of how to complain, and that we provide easy to use opportunities for them to register their complaints
• a named person will be responsible for the administration of the procedure
• Every written complaint is acknowledged within two working days
• investigations into written complaints are held within 28 days
• all complaints are responded to in writing
• Complaints are dealt with promptly, fairly, and sensitively with due regard to the upset and worry that they can cause
The named complaints manager with responsibility for following through complaints is Matt Higginson.
Complaints Procedure
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• All complaints, no matter how seemingly unimportant, should be taken seriously. There is nothing to be gained by staff adopting a defensive or aggressive attitude.
• Front line staff who receive a complaint should forward a standard email response, with a link to our complaints and feedback form.
• All contact with the complainant should be polite, courteous, and sympathetic.
• At all times staff should remain calm and respectful.
• Staff should not accept blame, make excuses, or blame other staff.
• If the complaint is being made on behalf of someone by an advocate it must first be verified that the person has permission to speak for the complainant, especially if confidential information is involved. It is quite easy to assume that the advocate has the right or power to act for the complainant when they may not. If in doubt it should be assumed that the complainant’s explicit permission is needed prior to discussing the complaint with the advocate.
• After talking the problem through, each manager or the member of staff dealing with the complaint should suggest a course of action to resolve the complaint. If this course of action is acceptable then the member of staff should clarify the agreement with the complainant and agree a way in which the results of the complaint will be communicated to the complainant (i.e., through another call or by e-mail).
• If the suggested plan of action is not acceptable to the complainant, then the member of staff or manager should ask the complainant to put their complaint in writing to the establishment and give them a copy of the complaint's procedure and form for completion.
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Written Complaints
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• When a complaint is received in writing it should be passed on to the named complaints manager. An auto response acknowledgment will be sent on receipt of a completed complaints form. The complaints manager will be the named person who deals with the complaint through the process.
• If necessary, further details should be obtained from the complainant. If the complaint is not made by the complainant but by an advocate, then consent of the complainant, preferably in writing, must be obtained.
• The procedure should be forwarded to the complainant.
• If the complaint raises potentially serious matters, advice should be sought from a legal advisor to the establishment.
• Immediately on receipt of the complaint the Insight Workplace Health should launch an investigation and within 28 days should be able to provide a full explanation to the complainant, either in writing or by arranging a telephone call with the individuals concerned.
• If the issues are too complex to complete the investigation within 28 days, the complainant should be informed of any delays.
• A detailed explanation of the results of the investigation should be given and an apology if it is deemed appropriate (apologising for what has happened need not be an admission of liability).
• Such communication gives Insight Workplace Health the opportunity to show the complainant that the matter has been taken seriously and has been thoroughly investigated.
• A written account of the investigation should be sent to the complainant.
• The outcomes of the investigation should be recorded on appropriate documentation and any shortcomings in our procedures should be identified and acted upon.