Complaints Policy

Download a copy of our Complaints Policy here

Caritas Care Solutions is committed to providing a professional efficient and courteous service to all our customers.

If you believe that things have ‘gone wrong’ or not been handled correctly, we want you to tell us. We can resolve your complaint and try and ensure that it does not happen again. We take any complaints and suggestions very seriously.

We are also keen to hear when things have gone well or when our employees have exceeded your expectation.

1.1 Policy Statement

We will:

• Listen to, understand and act upon the views and experiences of the people we serve as part of our wider quality assurance and improvement focus
• Deal with all complaints received on a fair and equitable basis
• Ensure that appropriate information, advice and support is provided to all complaints, including minority or potentially disadvantaged individuals or groups
• Actively promote race equality by ensuring that all complaints are handled equally
• Ensure that we fully meet the needs of potentially disadvantaged individuals regardless of disability or sensory impairment, sexual orientation, age gender or religion
• Ensure that complaints have ready access to translation and interpretation services, including those for people with sensory impairment
• However, violence, racial, sexual or verbal harassment of staff will not be tolerated
• Deal with complaints quickly and fully at the level at which they are raised to ensure a prompt response and prevent escalation
• Handle complaints in a manner which is fair to both sides
• Support the person making the complaint and the staff named in the complaint
• Where a compliant relates to the actions of two or more organisations/bodies, agree who will take the lead in coordinating the complaint, inform the person making the complaint of this and fully cooperate with other organisations to resolve the complaint
• Where a complaint covers more than one sector (e.g. Caritas Care Solutions, NHS trust and the Local Authority) discuss and agree with the other Sector who will take the lead, inform the person making the complaint about which matters are being dealt with under which procedure and fully cooperate with the other sector to ensure that all maters raised are investigated

1:2 This policy aims to outline;

• Who you should contact if you wish to lodge a complaint
• How your comments/complaint will be dealt with
• What to do if you wish to complain

1:3 We will operate a Complaints Procedure which:

• is credible
• is easy to use
• is demonstrably independent
• is effective and sensitively applied

1:4 Who can complain?

Complaints may be made by:

• anyone that has contact with our service or staff
• a person likely to be affected by a decision taken by Caritas Care Solutions
• any appropriate person in respect of a patient who has died, e.g. the next of kin or their agent
• someone on behalf of an existing or former patient/ candidate/organisation independent advice and support organisation (providing appropriate consent has been obtained)
• For simplicity throughout this Policy and Procedure the term complaint is used to include all the above groups.

1:5 What can be complained about?

• Matters relating to our staff’s practice in their placement
• Unsatisfactory contact or communication with any of our staff.
• Incidence or neglect or omission to carry out work agreed within our contracts with you
• Incidence where the complainant feels they have been treated unfairly

1:6 What does the policy not cover?

• Complaints relating to services that we do not provide
• Complaints relating to Local Authority/Trust policies and procedures
• Complaints relating to companies which Caritas Care Solutions have contractual relationships with ( we will forward your complaints to the relevant company but will be unable to provide a meaningful response
• Services not provided directly by Caritas Care Solutions

• Any complaint received which appears to raise matters normally dealt with:

1. Under the disciplinary Procedure
2. By a professional regulatory body
3. By an independent inquiry into a serious incident under the SUI (Serious Untoward Incident) health policy
4. By an investigation of a criminal offence, including fraud
5. As possible claim for negligence
6. Under Freedom of Information
7. Under staff grievance or whistle blowing

1:7 How to make a complaint

You may be able to resolve your complaint by taking it up immediately with the individual concerned, or with his/her immediate Manager. Should you feel not comfortable doing this, you may write to:

Customer Services
Caritas Care Solutions Ltd
213-217 Building B
Melton Court
Gibson Lane
Hull
East Yorkshire
HU14 3HH

Or email info@caritascaresolutions.uk

You may also telephone us on 01482 963150 to log your complaint, Under normal circumstances you will be asked to put the details of your complaint in writing and this will help us retain accurate details relating to your complaint.

You should include;

• Your name and address
• Copies of any relevant correspondence about the complaint
• The name of the person whom you spoke or wrote to
• Date and time the complaint related to
• Details of what has gone wrong or has not been handled properly
• An explanation of how you would like us to resolve your complaint

While we take every complaint very seriously, it may be difficult for us to respond to an anonymous complaint as we often need to verify information with the complainant during the course of the investigation.

We would like to be given the chance to resolve any concerns that you raise but I understand that they may be instances where you might feel uncomfortable or unhappy about speaking to a member of our team. In this Instance you are within your rights to direct your complaint to our regulator as follows:

Care Quality Commission
National Correspondence
Citygate
Gallowgate
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 4PA

Or

The Local Government Ombudsman - The Local Government Ombudsman looks at complaints about councils and some other authorities and organisations, including education Admissions Appeal Panels and Adult Social Care Providers (such as care homes and homecare providers). It is a free service.  Our job is to investigate complaints in a fair and independent way we do not take sides.

The Local Government Ombudsman
PO Box 4771
Coventry
CV4 0EH

Fax: 024 7682 0001
LDO Advice Team on 0300 061 0614 or 08456021983
It is open from 8:30am to 5:30pm Monday to Friday. (Calls to 03 numbers will not cost more than calls to national geographic numbers (starting 01 or 02)

1:8 What will happen next?
We will log your complaint and acknowledge your complaint within 24 hours of receiving it. Within the next 3 days we will investigate the issue, resolve the problem and put measures in place that it does not happen again.

If for some reason we cannot fully reply within 3 days, we will give you an update and within  the next 10 working days explain to you why we cannot provide an immediate response, including details of when you can expect a full reply.

1:9 What if I am not satisfied with the initial response and I feel my complaint has still not been resolved?
If you are not satisfied with our response to your complaint you can escalate your complaint in writing to  the Clinical and Compliance Manager by emailing brian@caritascaresolutions.uk.  If you are still not satisfied you can escalate the complaint to the Managing Director by emailing barbara@caritascaresolutions.uk. You can still escalate the matter further by contacting the Care Quality Commission/Local Government Ombudsman.

1:10 What can I expect?
We aim to provide a high standard of service but unfortunately there may be times when we make a mistake. If this happens, you are entitled to expect any one or a combination, of the following:

• A written apology
• An explanation
• Assurance that the same mistake will not happen again
• Details of the action we have taken to put things right

You may also be entitled to financial compensation. Compensation will depend on the nature of the mistake; the circumstances in which the mistake was made; and any actual loss you have suffered or costs incurred as a direct consequence of the mistake. Each claim is considered on its merit.

1:11 Still not Resolved?
At this stage, if you are still not satisfied you can write to:

Care Quality Commission
National Correspondence
Citygate
Gallowgate
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 4PA

The Local Government Ombudsman
PO Box 4771
Coventry
CV4 0EH

Fax: 024 7682 0001
LDO Advice Team on 0300 061 0614 or 08456021983

One of the best ways we can continue to improve our services is by listening and responding to your views. As well as learning from your complaints, we welcome any comments or suggestions you may have on how we can improve.

Equally we would you to tell us when we get it right, so that we can maintain our good standards and practices.

Alternatively, you can also complete an initial online complaints enquiry form below: