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Comments and Complaints

Hull CVS always aims to provide the highest standards of service and are committed to the continuous improvement of our services.

To help us in achieving this, we  welcome any feedback, whether it’s good or bad.

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Comments Procedure

Anyone wishing to make comments on any aspect of our services should do so verbally or in writing to the relevant person concerned. Where a formal acknowledgment or response is required it should be made in writing and a reply will be sent within 28 days.

Complaints Procedure

We will:

  • Treat complaints seriously and deal with them properly.
  • Resolve complaints promptly and informally whenever possible.
  • Learn from complaints and take action to improve our services.
  • Ensure that complaints are treated in confidence.
  • Record and store all information in accordance with the Data Protection Act.
  • Report to the Board of Trustees or any relevant funders the number of compliments and complaints received, the findings of any investigations and actions taken.

There are three stages to the complaints procedure:

Stage 1

Your first step should be to try to resolve the issue informally with the person concerned as soon as possible. It is hoped that most problems can be resolved this way.

Stage 2

If you are still unsatisfied after then you should contact the Chief Executive Officer providing the details of your complaint. Receipt of the complaint will be acknowledged in writing within 7 days. Your letter should be marked “Private and Confidential”. Please include your name, a contact address and telephone number and the name of the organisation you represent, if appropriate. We cannot respond to anonymous complaints.

The Chief Executive Officer will investigate your complaint and respond to you in writing as soon as reasonably possible. This should normally be within 28 days from the receipt of your complaint. If this is not possible, we will explain why and give a new deadline.

Stage 3

If you are still unhappy with the result, you may appeal in writing (within 28 days) to the Chair of Trustees of Hull CVS. The Chair will respond as soon as reasonably possible. This should normally be within 28 days from the receipt of your appeal. If this is not possible, they will explain why and give a new deadline. The decision of the Chair is final.

Legal issues

There may be occasions when we are required by law to refer a complaint to law enforcement or statutory agencies, or we are informed about a complaint by a law enforcement agency, solicitors or bodies with statutory powers of investigation. At all times legal, statutory or professional investigations will take primacy over this Policy and Procedure and we will not undertake any actions that may compromise any external investigations. In such cases:

  1. The Complaints Procedure will be initiated and we will may take such action to protect clients, users, or ourselves through suspension of a staff member or other volunteer until such a time as any legal procedures or investigations are completed to the satisfaction of the external agencies concerned. If the complaint involves a paid member of staff then the Disciplinary and Grievance Procedure will be used.
  2. Once immediate actions have been taken the Complaints Procedure will become suspended until such a time as any legal procedures or investigations are completed to the satisfaction of the external agencies concerned.

Data Protection

To process a complaint we will hold personal data about a complainant, which the individual provides and which other people give when investigating the complaint. We will hold this data securely and only use it to help to address the complaint. The identity of the person making the complaint will only be made known to those needing to consider the complaint and will not be revealed to other people or made public by us. However it may not be possible to preserve confidentiality in all circumstances, for example, where relevant legislation applies or allegations are made which involve the conduct of third parties.

Monitoring

Compliments and complaints information will be considered on a regular basis and reported quarterly to our Management Committee. Wherever possible the information will be used to improve and develop services.

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