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Introduction

GEARS+ is committed to providing high-quality services. Feedback is essential to this and we welcome all comments, compliments and complaints. These help us review and develop our services and help us achieve the highest possible standards and provide excellent services to everyone.

We accept that sometimes things go wrong and that managing complaints well is central to improving both our services and our reputation. How we deal with complaints and learn from them says a lot about our organisation.

The efficient handling of complaints with timely reporting and feedback to those involved in setting policies and strategies is crucial and involves everyone within the organisation.

In order for this policy to achieve the desired outcome of supporting improvements to service it will be well communicated internally to employees ensuring everyone is aware of how to deal with complaints and externally to customers raising awareness of the policy and how to use it.

Compliments and Comments

Compliments and comments will be dealt with consistently. Upon receipt, all compliments and comments will be copied to the Chief Executive, who will personally write to the member of staff concerned, as well as writing personally to the person who made the compliment or comment.

All comments and compliments will also be fed back through Board and Team Meetings.

Definition of a Complaint

A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction, however made, about the standards of service, actions or lack of action by GEARS+, affecting an individual customer/participant or group of customers/participants. This would include Sessional Staff and Volunteers acting on behalf of GEARS+.

What is covered by this policy

• When we fail to provide a service at the level or to the standard laid down.
• Whenever we delay unreasonably in answering a query or responding to a request for information.
• Whenever we fail to follow GEARS+ policies or procedures.
• Whenever we fail, in coming to a decision, to take account of relevant matters.
• When we fail to tell people of their rights.
• When an employee or someone acting on behalf of GEARS+ is unhelpful or insensitive to a customer.
• When an employee or someone acting on behalf of GEARS+ show malice, offensiveness, bias or unfair discrimination.

Who can make a complaint

• Any person or organisation or individual receiving, or seeking to receive, a service from GEARS+ or someone acting on behalf of GEARS+.
• Someone acting on behalf of a person or organisation receiving, or seeking to receive, a service from the GEARS+.

How to make a complaint

A complaint form has been designed to help people to submit a complaint. They can also be submitted by letter, telephone, email, in person, via the website.

Courtesy

GEARS+ welcomes feedback and will investigate all complaints in a civil and polite manner.

Whilst it is recognised that a complainant will have issues of genuine concern, it is expected that representatives of GEARFS+ will be treated in a civil and polite manner.

How complaints will be progressed

Informal stage

Most 'complaints' are likely to be received by front line staff either in person or by telephone.

If an error or lapse in service delivery has occurred, it should be possible to resolve the matter quickly and decisively by relevant personnel. The Chief Executive will then be informed.

If the issue cannot be resolved informally then the complainant must be advised to make a formal complaint. 

Stage 1 (Response within 10 working days)

Wherever possible a complaints form should be completed, this can be done either by the complainant themselves, someone acting on their behalf or by an employee or representative of GEARS+. If a form is completed on behalf of the complainant, extreme care must be taken to ensure the form is completed correctly using only words used by the complainant. 

Form received by GEARS+ –

Details of complaint recorded, date received, name, nature of complaint, directorate or department, person passed to for action, date passed on.

Complaint form passed to Chief Executive for action. 

Form received by Chief Executive –

Details recorded, date received, name, nature of complaint, prior to actioning.

• A response must be sent to the complainant within 10 working days. If the issue will not be resolved within 10 working days then an acknowledgment must be sent indicating how long it is likely to take to investigate and resolve the issue.
• Staff must be kept informed of the date and nature of any communication with the complainant, and advised of when a compliant is resolved.

Stage 2 (Response within further 10 working days)

If the complainant is still not satisfied the reasons must be stated and the complaint passed to a member of the Board of GEARS+

If the complaint is still not resolved within a further 10 working days of receipt by the Board, the complainant must be informed of who is dealing with the complaint and the action being taken. The decision of the Board is final.

Administrative Procedures

GEARS+ are responsible for:

• Maintaining records about all complaints.
• Monitoring responses to all complaints.
• Producing reports detailing number, nature and status of complaints for the Board.
• Providing a central point of contact for all complaint related issues.

GEARS+ will identify a Complaints Liaison Officer who will be responsible for:

• Ensuring that information about the complaints policy is prominently displayed at all points of access and on all notice boards.
• Ensure that all employees are aware of the procedure for dealing with complaints.
• Ensure that procedures are in place for reporting and monitoring of complaints.
• Act as liaison between staff, management and the Board in relation to all matters concerning complaints.

The related Comments, Compliments and Complaints form can be downloaded here.