Purpose of the Policy
- Provide clarity as to what constitutes a complaint
- Ensure anyone wishing to make a complaint finds it easy to access the means to do so
- Ensure all QNIS staff are aware of the requirements of the policy and the steps to be taken when a complaint is received
- Ensure all complaints are investigated as fully and fairly as possible, and responded to a timely manner
- Ensure the QNIS response is focused on:
- ‘Putting things right’ for the party complaining where that is reasonable and feasible
- Using comments received for the purposes of learning and quality improvement
- Identifying any serious issues in a timely manner
- Reviewing complaints on an annual basis to allow identification of recurring issues or trends
What is a ‘Complaint’?
- A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction expressed by any party external to the organisation about any aspect of its operation, work or employees. Any perception that the complaint is not ‘valid’ does not change the procedure which must be followed on receipt of a complaint.
- Complaints do not have to be framed as such or submitted in a particular ‘complaints’ format to be treated as such. Unless otherwise stated any expression of concern will be treated as a complaint.
The Source of Complaints
- Complaints may come from any individual, volunteer or organisation, including the general public if something is perceived to be improper. They may come to our attention by phone, social media, email or post. They may also be made verbally.
- All complaints will be handled sensitively, ensuring as limited sharing as possible and following data protection requirements.
Responsibility
The accountable officer is the Chief Executive and Nurse Director. Overall responsibility for this policy, its implementation, and its annual review and updating, lies with the Council of QNIS.
How to Submit a Complaint
- By email: office@qnis.org.uk
- In writing: QNIS, 31 Castle Terrace, Edinburgh, EH1 2EL
- By phone: 0131 229 2333
- Via social media: we will ask you to submit in email or writing
Receiving a Complaint
On receipt of as complaint, we will:
- Record the details of the complaint
- Acknowledge receipt of the complaint within 5 working days, including providing details of next steps to be taken; a copy of this policy will be included with the acknowledgement
If the complaint has been received verbally, we will ask for this to be submitted in writing, or when this is not possible, the complainant will be sent a written version of their complaint for approval.
Resolving Complaints
- Complaints will be logged and shared with the Chief Executive Nurse Director or the Deputy Nurse Director within 5 working days
- The complaint will be allocated to a suitable staff member for investigation. Complaints can be resolved by any member of the senior management team.
- Complaints will normally be investigated and responded to in full within 28 working days of receipt. Failing that, a progress report and indication of when the process will be concluded should be provided within that timescale.
- The final response will describe the investigation, conclusion, any action taken and any outcome achieved.
Appeals
- If you feel your complaint has not been resolved to your satisfaction, you can request escalation to QNIS Council
- The Chair will then appoint a Trustee or ask for a volunteer to review the handling of the complaint
- The Chair of Council will acknowledge receipt of the appeal within 5 working days, including details of who will be dealing with the appeal
- The reviewing Trustee may request further information from you or the member of staff who dealt with the complaint
- The appeal will be investigated, and a full response will be shared with you within 28 working days. If your appeal is not resolved within this time frame, you will receive an update along with an indication of when the matter will be concluded.
External Appeal
QNIS is a charity registered in Scotland. Complaints about QNIS can be made direct to the Scottish Charity Regulator at any stage. Further information about them and when and how to complain can be found at: https://www.oscr.org.uk