4.2 Complaints and Rights of Redress
You should have an effective complaints procedure. This must be published and made available to all service users in an accessible format.
Information from complaints needs to be analysed and monitored then incorporated into the service plan if appropriate. Any changes in service arising from complaints must be publicised.
All adviceproviders must make sure that they have adequate professional indemnity insurance. This ensures that service users are not disadvantaged if service providers make mistakes.
When things go wrong, you must make every effort to ensure that service users do not pay for the service providers’ mistakes. Mistakes must be dealt with promptly and service users must be adequately recompensed.
Complaints can provide a valuable feedback. This can help with the planning and development of services so that they respond to needs and are accessible to all.
The Complaints and Redress Procedures should contain the following elements:
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what a service user can complain about – general level of service; the behaviour of a member of staff or volunteer; wrong advice; how easily the user can access the service,
- how they can complain – to whom they can complain; whether there are forms; how these can be obtained; whether they can be accessed in another format or communication method,
- how the complaint will be dealt with – how quickly; by whom; how the user will be involved,
- what they can expect as a result of their complaints – apologies; compensation,
- what action might be taken to change the service as a result of the complaint.
You should also have a strategy for publicising any changes made as a result of complaints. This should include information about how and why the complaints have occurred.
Your users must have clear information about how to complain about the attitude or behaviour of staff or volunteers. This can be a very difficult area and users should not feel intimidated.
Go to the next page: Standard Four - Involving Disabled People and Their Representatives
(c) Scottish Accessible Information Forum, 2007
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