The Digbeth Trust-Complaints Policy

(Reviewed 2011)

The Digbeth Trust is always happy to receive comments, feedback and suggestions, and provides a variety of means by which our service users can do this.

We will:

 

1.  When should you complain?

 

If you are unhappy or dissatisfied with any aspect of the charity’s service, a member of our staff or any of the charity’s policies and you would like a response.

 

 

2.  Is this different to making a comment or suggestion?

 

Yes.  A suggestion about how to improve our service or a comment about your experience of our service is very helpful to us and it is important that this information is recorded.

 

 

3.  The aims of the complaints procedure

 

1.      to provide a simple, effective system for dealing with service users’ concerns

2.      to provide a formal response within a given timescale

3.      to respect an individual’s right to complain or disagree with the outcome

 

and above all –

 

4.      to resolve a complaint fairly and speedily to everyone’s satisfaction

 

 

4.  Who can make a complaint?

 

Anyone who uses, comes into contact with or is affected by the Trust’s services, including:

 

·       service users (individuals and organisations)

·       funding bodies

·       partner agencies

·       sub-contractors

 

5.  How the complaints procedure works

 

5.1  Verbal complaints  If you have any concerns at all about the charity’s services don’t be afraid to speak directly to one of our staff about it, either at an event or on the phone.  Misunderstandings can often be sorted out straightaway on an informal basis. 

 

5.2  Written complaints  If you think the matter is too serious or you don’t feel able to speak to any of our staff about it,  you should put your complaint in writing, by letter, e-mail or fax.   Any complaint about the Chief Executive or individual trustees must be made in writing. 

 

5.3  Complaints about the Chief Executive or individual trustees should be forwarded in a letter to the Chair, marked “Private and Confidential”, to the Trust’s offices.

 

5.4  The Trust reserves the right to elect to deal with complaints against staff members in accordance with its internal grievance and disciplinary procedures.

 

5.5  The Chief Executive (or the Chairman in the case of complaints against the Chief Executive or individual trustees) is accountable for ensuring that all complaints are dealt with, as far as possible, confidentially and are investigated fully and fairly within the stated timescales.  In some cases we may need to share information on a strictly ‘need to know’ basis in order to resolve the complaint.  Such information will be handled in line with the charity’s registration under the Data Protection Act. 

 

5.6  The complaint resolution process operates as follows:-

 

Stage 1    On receipt of a written complaint a written acknowledgement of the letter, e-mail or fax will be provided by the Chief Executive within five working days.

 

Stage 2    The Chief Executive (or chair as appropriate) will conduct a full investigation into the complaint.  This may involve contacting the complainant for more information and speaking with relevant staff members or external agencies.  The complainant will be kept informed of the progress of the investigation which should not normally take more than two weeks.

 

Stage 3    The Chief Executive (or chair as appropriate) will write to the complainant within 28 days of receiving the written complaint with the results of the investigation, noting any actions taken or proposed as a result of the complaint, and provide an apology where appropriate.

 

Stage 4    If the complainant is not satisfied with the outcome, he/she may appeal in writing to the Chair who will respond in a similar timeframe.  The Chair will not normally carry out a fresh investigation (unless there is a clear case for doing so) but will wish to satisfy him/herself that the complaint resolution process has been followed fairly and rigorously in line with this policy.  In the case of complaints against the Chief Executive or individual trustees where the complainant is not satisfied with the outcome, the complainant should seek further advice from the Charity Commission.

 

                 

6.      Recording and monitoring

 

Receiving comments and, occasionally, complaints is an opportunity to gain constructive feedback from service users.  Feedback will be reviewed regularly by the Chief Executive who will provide a report on complaints resolution at least annually to the trustee board.

 

 

7.   Contacting the Trust:

 

The Chief Executive

 

The Digbeth Trust
Unit F1, The Arch
48 - 52 Floodgate Street
Birmingham B5 5SL

Tel: 0121 753 0706