Peaceful Solutions

COMPLAINTS POLICY & PROCEDURE

  • PS welcomes the views of its stakeholders as this can inform us as to how we are performing.
  • PS believes that the service users have the right to expect a professional standard of service.
  • PS also believes that service users have the right to complain and express concerns about any aspect of the service they receive from PS.

We are committed to trying to resolve your concerns within the context of this procedure.

We welcome all feedback so you can feel confident about letting us know how we have performed.

What is a complaint?

This can be an expression of dissatisfaction about any of the following:

  • Unhappiness with the way a service was provided
  • Concern about the lack of an appropriate or effective service
  • The method in which a particular problem or situation was handled
  • Experiencing unfair treatment

How to complain

If you have a complaint about any aspect of PS service please:

  1. Inform the Practice Directors by email to support@peacefulsolutions.org.uk with FAO Practice Directors in the subject line.
  2. Give us as much specific information about your complaint as possible, such as dates, times and names, to enable us carry out a thorough investigation.

What will happen next?

  1. The Chief Executive or Practice Director will try to resolve the problem informally, perhaps on the telephone or by arranging a meeting to listen to what has happened.
  2. Depending on the nature of the complaint, you may at that stage be asked to make a written complaint, which will then be dealt with according to the procedure outlined below.
  3. We will log the complaint, and we aim to give you a written reply to your complaint within 14 working days of receipt.
  4. If it is not possible to investigate your complaint within that time, you will receive an interim reply giving you details of action taken or being considered and the name of the person dealing with it.
  5. In any case you will receive a full reply to your complaint within six weeks of its receipt

What if I am not satisfied?

  1. If your complaint was an informal one and you are not satisfied with the outcome you should submit a written complaint and address it to the Management Committee.
  2. If your complaint was a written one and you are not satisfied with the outcome (or it was against the Chief Executive) please write confidentially with FAO Management Only in the subject line.
  3. The Management Committee will discuss your complaint at its next meeting. You may be invited to attend the part of the meeting at which your complaint is discussed.

What if I am still not satisfied?

If you are still not satisfied, an independent mediator will be asked to provide mediation services between yourself and the PS with the aim of finding a satisfactory resolution.

If your complaint is about our Family Mediation Service and it is not resolved by our procedure you can make representations to the Family Mediators Association:

thefma.co.uk/contact-us/complaints/

Matters not dealt with by the procedure

Any advice sessions and surgeries provided by another agency using our facility, for which we have no responsibility, should be referred directly to the relevant agency.

Monitoring

All logged complaints will be monitored and analysed regularly to identify any trends and this would inform on the annual review of services and policies.

Confidentiality

All complaints will be treated in strict confidence.