Complaints Policy
The purpose of our Complaints Policy and Process is to ensure that all complaints are dealt with promptly and consistently and are handled with courtesy and fairness.
As a result of a complaint, we will aim to rectify the issue and improve our service.
We will
- handle complaints within established time limits, and keep you informed of progress
- investigate your complaint, carry out appropriate action to resolve the issue and provide you with a response
- keep you informed of our progress in the case of complex complaints, which take longer than 10 days to resolve
- refer complaints promptly when the initial complaint has not been resolved to your satisfaction
- record responses to all complaints with the details of the action taken so we can learn from any issues you have
- resolve 95% of complaints within four weeks
- monitor the number of complaints we receive and aim that this is less than 0.5% of our customer interactions each year.
What happens when you make a complaint?
We will aim to resolve your complaint informally and at the point of contact. However we will record your contacts details and your complaint so that we can learn from any issues that arise.
- Stage one: If unresolved informally at the point of contact, your complaint will be passed to the local manager for resolution.
This manager will contact you and try to resolve your complaint within 5 working days. Where your complaint cannot be resolved within the stated timescales, you will be kept informed of the progress and status of your complaint.
- Stage two: If your complaint cannot be resolved by the local manager, it will be escalated to a member of Executive Board.
You will then be contacted within 5 working days of the complaint being referred.
Where your complaint cannot be resolved within the stated timescales, you will be kept informed of the progress and status of your complaint.
- Stage three: We hope that we can resolve your complaint, but if we cannot, then it will go to an appeals panel. This will be held by the Board of Directors. The panel will meet within 10 working days of the complaint being referred by Executive Board
- Stage four: If you remain dissatisfied with the Appeals Panel response, you can escalate your complaint to the relevant Funding Body. Details of which will be included in the response you receive from the Board of Directors following the Appeals panel meeting.
