Howson Care Centre works on the principle that if a service user or anyone who acts in their best interests 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.
We adopt the following procedures for responding to complaints and concerns made verbally to staff or to managers.
- All verbal complaints, no matter how seemingly unimportant, are taken seriously and are immediately acknowledged as concerns.
- Front-line care staff who receive a verbal complaint are instructed to address the problem straight away.
- If staff cannot solve the problem immediately, they should offer to get the manager to deal with the problem.
- After talking the problem through, the manager or the member of staff dealing with the complaint will suggest a course of action to resolve the complaint. If this course of action is acceptable then the member of staff will clarify the agreement with the complainant and agree a way in which the results of the complaint will be communicated to the complainant (ie through another meeting or by letter).
- If the suggested plan of action is not acceptable to the complainant then the member of staff or manager will ask the complainant to put their complaint in writing and give them a copy of the complaint’s procedure.
When a complaint is received in writing it is passed on to The Manager, or Deputy Manager, who records it on the Analysis System and sends an acknowledgement letter/email within five working days, which describes the procedure to be followed.
The management is responsible for dealing with the complaint throughout the process, including for any investigations carried out by an independent person, who will report to the named person
Immediately on receipt of a written complaint, Howson Care Centre will launch an investigation and aims within 28 days to provide a full explanation to the complainant, either in writing or by arranging a meeting with the individuals concerned.
If the issues are too complex to complete the investigation within 28 days, the complainant will be informed of any delay and the reason for the delay.
The person to whom written complaints should be made is Sara Whitton
If you would like a copy of the Complaint Policy then please see any staff member who will arrange this for you.