Link Community Care believes that it is a service user wishes to make a complaint or register a concern they should find it easy to do so. It is the agencies policy to welcome complaints and looks upon them as an opportunity to learn, adapt, improve and provide a better service. This policy is intended to ensure that complaints are dealt with properly and that all complaints or comments by service user’s and their relatives, carers and advocates are taken seriously. The policy is not designed to apportion blame or to consider the possibility of negligence, or the provision of compensation. It is not part of the agencies disciplinary policy.
The agency believes that failure to listen to or acknowledge complaints will lead to an aggravation of problems, service user dissatisfaction and possible litigation. The agency supports the concept that most complaints if dealt with early, openly and honestly, can be sorted at a local level between the complainant and the agency.
Aim
The aim of the agency is to ensure that it’s complaints procedure is properly and effectively implemented and those service users feel confident that their complaints and worries are listened to and acted upon promptly and fairly.
Goals
The goals of the agency are to ensure that, service user’s, their carers, and representatives are aware of how to complain and that the agency provides easy to use guidelines for them to make their complaint known.
Service users who are unhappy should contact the office on 02892 663073 and provide information regarding any issue or incident.
In Brief; the co-ordinators Michael Sheilds, Jackie Brooks or Complaints Manager Beverley Loney will :
Complaint process;
Every complaint is acknowledged within 2 working days.
All complaints are investigated and responded to within 28 days of being made.
Complaints are dealt with promptly, fairly and sensitively with due regard to the upset and worry that they can cause to both staff and service users.
Service users who remain unhappy with their service may contact their care manager as detailed on their care plan, or seek the contact details from our office.
Where service users feel additional support is required in bringing a complaint, the following independent advocacy service can be accessed:
NI Public Services Ombudsman, Progressive House, 33 Wellington Place, Belfast BT1 6HN – Tel: 02890 233 821
AGE NI, 3 Lower Crescent, Belfast, BT7 1NR – Tel: 02890 245 729
Alzheimers Society, Unit 4, Balmoral Crescent, Belfast, BT12 6HU – Tel: 02890 664 100
Parkinson’s Disease Society, 20 Movilla Road, Portstewart, Londonderry, BT55 7DW – Tel: 02870 833 747
Diabetes UK (NI), Macleod House, 10 Parkway, London, NW1 7AA – Tel: 020 7424 1000
Complaints can be made to the N. I. Public Services Ombudsman(as detailed above) where the service user feels that the Trust/Agency has not resolved their complaint.
If there has been a breach in Regulation the service user or their representative can contact the Domiciliary Care Regulator at RQIA.
The Inspector allocated to Link Community Care can be contacted at the address below.
Registration and Quality Improvement Authority
9th Floor Riverside Tower
5 Lanyon Place
Belfast
BT1 3BT
Tel – 02890 517 500