Complaints Policy

Complaints

 We work hard to deliver our services right first time, but we understand that there may be times when things go wrong and you may not be happy with the service we provide. If this happens, or you feel that our services are generally not up to scratch, please let us know. We recognise the importance of complaints and welcome them as a valuable way of helping us improve. If you want to make a complaint, we will do all we can to investigate it as fairly and as quickly as possible.

 

What is a complaint?

 

A complaint is a way of telling us that you are not happy about the standard of a service we provide or something we have done (or not done) that affects either you or a group of people. Services provided by contractors on our behalf are also included. You are entitled to make a complaint when:

  • You think the work we’ve done isn’t up to standard;
  • We haven’t carried out work you’ve asked us to within the timescale given and we haven’t given you a reasonable explanation;
  • We haven’t followed our rules, policies or procedures;
  • We have provided inaccurate or misleading information;
  • There has been an unnecessary delay in taking action; or one of our employees is rude or unhelpful.

 

A complaint is not:

 Reporting a fault

  • A first request for a service
  • A first request for information or an explanation
  • Telling us you disagree with a council policy

 

Who can make a complaint?

 Anyone who is affected by our services can make a complaint, including:

  • Customers
  • Suppliers
  • End Users
  • Anyone else, including children or young people, who uses or is affected by our services.
  • People acting on your behalf such as councillors, MPs or representatives, can also make complaints. If a family member or friend complains on your behalf, we need your permission to go ahead with the complaint.

 

How to make a complaint

 The following step-by-step guide explains how to make a complaint and how we will deal with it. We promise to:

  • Take all complaints seriously;
  • Treat all complaints fairly and confidentially;
  • Aim to respond to all complaints within the agreed timescale;
  • Apologise if we have made a mistake; and
  • Try to improve the way we do things in the future.

We know that making a complaint can sometimes be difficult. If you do make a complaint, we will not treat you negatively as a result. If you choose not to give us your name when you complain, we will still deal with your complaint in line with this policy. However, we will not be able to contact you with the outcome of your complaint.

 

Step 1

 If you would like to make a complaint, please contact us to explain the problem and tell us what you want us to do. We will listen to you and try to sort out your complaint immediately. We can deal with most complaints in this way, but sometimes we need more time to investigate the matter. If this is the case, an officer from the department your complaint is about will:

  • Look at what has happened and try to put things right;
  • Talk to members of staff who have been involved; and
  • Explain what they have found and what we will do.

We aim to respond to step-1 complaints within 10 working days. If we cannot deal with your complaint in that time, we will explain why there is a delay and tell you when we expect to be able to sort out the matter.

Contact details for all complaints is:

Customer Services
Cefndy Healthcare & Manufacturing
Cefndy Road
Rhyl
LL18 2HG

Telephone           01824 706005
Fax                         01745 355806
E-mail                   Cefndy.Sales@denbighshire.gov.uk

 

Step 2

 If you feel that we have not sorted out your complaint using step 1, please let us know. A Senior Manager will:

  • Look at what has happened and try to put things right;
  • Talk to members of staff who have been involved; and
  • Write to you to explain what they have found and what we will do.

We aim to respond to step-2 complaints within 25 working days. If we cannot deal with your complaint in that time, we will explain why there is a delay and tell you when we expect to be able to sort out the matter.

 

Step 3

 If you feel that we have not sorted out your complaint using step 2, please let us know. The Chief Executive of the council (or a senior member of staff acting on their behalf) will:

  • Review your complaint and the way we dealt with it; and
  • Write to you to explain what they have found out. This should be within 15 working days.

Step 3 is the last step of our complaints procedure. We try hard to deal with all complaints under our own complaints procedure. However, if you feel that we have not been able to deal with your complaint, you could contact the following.

 

 

Public Services Ombudsman for Wales or Code Administrator at British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA)

 

The main role of these bodies is to investigate complaints from members of the public about the way they have been treated by an organisation.

Complaints will be investigated independently and fairly, and the governing bodies will say what the organisation should do to put the complaint right. You may contact either of the governing bodies at any time, but they will prefer you to have given us the opportunity to deal with your complaint first.

Contact details for both the ombudsman and BHTA are as follows.

British Healthcare Trades Association
New Loom House
Suite 4.06
101 Black Church Lane
London
E1 1LU
Tel:  0207 702 2141
Fax: 0207 680 4048
E-mail: bhta@bhta.com
www.bhta.new

Public Service Ombudsman for Wales Association
1 Ffordd yr Hen Gae
Pencoed
CF35 5LJ
Tel: 01656 641150
Fax: 01656 641199
E-mail: ask@ombudsman-wales.org.uk
www.ombudsman-wales.org.uk