COMPLAINTS POLICY AND PROCEDURE

 Our aim: Matilda Ltd is committed to providing a quality service for its staff and service users and working in an open and accountable way that builds the trust and respect of all our stakeholders. One of the ways in which we can continue to improve our service is by listening and responding to the views of our staff, service users and stakeholders, and in particular by responding positively to complaints, and by putting mistakes right.

Therefore we aim to ensure that: making a complaint is as easy as possible; we treat a complaint as a clear expression of dissatisfaction with our service which calls for an immediate response; we deal with it promptly, politely and, when appropriate, confidentially; we respond in the right way – for example, with an explanation, or an apology where we have got things wrong, or information on any action taken etc; we learn from complaints, use them to improve our service, and review annually our complaints policy and procedures. We recognise that many concerns will be raised informally, and dealt with quickly.

Our aims are to: resolve informal concerns quickly; keep matters low-key; enable mediation between the complainant and the individual to whom the complaint has been referred. An informal approach is appropriate when it can be achieved. But if concerns cannot be satisfactorily resolved informally, then the formal complaints procedure should be followed.

Preamble Definition: defines a complaint as ‘any expression of dissatisfaction that relates to Matilda Ltd and that requires a formal response’.

Purpose: The formal complaints procedure is intended to ensure that all complaints are handled fairly, consistently and wherever possible resolved to the complainant’s satisfaction.

Matilda Ltd’s responsibility will be to: acknowledge the formal complaint in writing; respond within a stated period of time; deal reasonably and sensitively with the complaint; take action where appropriate.

 A complainant’s responsibility is to: bring their complaint, in writing, to Matilda Ltd’s attention normally within 8 weeks of the issue arising; raise concerns promptly and directly with a member of staff in Matilda Ltd; explain the problem as clearly and as fully as possible, including any action taken to date; allow Matilda Ltd a reasonable time to deal with the matter; recognise that some circumstances may be beyond Matilda Ltd’s control.

Responsibility for Action: All Staff of Matilda Ltd.

Confidentiality: Except in exceptional circumstances, every attempt will be made to ensure that both the complainant and Matilda Ltd maintain confidentiality.

 However, in circumstances giving rise to the complaint may be such that it may not be possible to maintain confidentiality (with each complaint judged on its own merit). Should this be the case, the situation will be explained to the complainant.

Monitoring and Reporting: Management of Matilda will receive and review annually an anonimized report of complaints made and their resolution in order to improve the service and implement the necessary changes.

Formal Complaints Procedure Stage 1

In the first instance, if you are unable to resolve the issue informally, you should write to the administrator, so that they have a chance to put things right. If your complaint concerns a manager of Matilda Ltd, rather than a member of Matilda Ltd’s staff, you should write formally to the individual concerned. In your letter you should set out the details of your complaint, the consequences for you as a result, and the remedy you are seeking. You can expect your complaint to be acknowledged within 4 working days of receipt. You should get a response and an explanation within 15 working days. If you are unsure which member of Matild Ltd staff to write to, your complaint should be sent to Matilda Ltd’s owner.

Our contact details can be found on the Contact Us part of the Matilda Ltd’s Website.

Formal Complaints Procedure Stage 2

If you are not satisfied with the initial response to the complaint then you can write to Matilda Ltd’s Owner and ask for your complaint and the response to be reviewed. You can expect the Owner to acknowledge your request within 4 working days of receipt and a response within 15 workings days.

Matilda Ltd’s aim is to resolve all matters as quickly as possible. However, inevitably some issues will be more complex and therefore may require longer to be fully investigated. Consequently timescales given for handling and responding to complaints are indicative. If a matter requires more detailed investigation, you will receive an interim response describing what is being done to deal with the matter, and when a full reply can be expected and from whom.

Formal Complaints Procedure Final Stage

If you are not satisfied with the subsequent reply from Matilda Ltd’s Owner, then you have the option of writing to the appropriate Awarding Body

(i.e CQC/NMC/Safeguarding), stating the reason why you are dissatisfied with the outcome. You must do this within 10 days of receiving the written response from Matilda Ltd’s Owner.

The Awarding Body will respond normally within 10 working days to inform you of the action which will be taken to investigate your complaint, and when you can expect to hear the outcome of the investigation.

Note. If your original complaint was against the Owner of Matilda Ltd, then the final stage will be handled by the appropriate Awarding Body