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Complaints Management Process

Each client is free to raise and have resolved, any complaints or disputes he/she may have regarding the agency or the service.

Complaints will be dealt with fairly, efficiently and confidentially with a timeframe for resolution outlined. It is important that you, the client is aware that your care support services will not be jeopardised in any way if a complaint is lodged. You can nominate a carer/friend/advocate to assist with the complaint.

• Each person lodging a complaint has the right to determine how, when and where the complaint is made
• Each person has the opportunity to nominate the person they want at A.P. Care Services as the key contact when making a complaint
• If the matter involves criminal allegations, the police are immediately contacted

All disputes follow our stepped Complaints Procedure. In brief: A.P. Care Services first supports the person raising the issue to speak about it with the person with whom they are aggrieved. If this is not possible, the Coordinator or Manager of the person against whom the allegation is made talks to the complainant. Details are recorded and a timeframe for resolution is set. A process for resolution is agreed upon and actions commence. If the dispute is not resolved within the specified timeframe, it progresses to the next person in the line of authority (Manager or CEO) who speaks with the complainant and agrees on a course of action which is undertaken. If the dispute is unable to be resolved, external mediation or conciliation may be used.

In short, A.P. Care Services’ process of complaint resolution follows 8 steps of complaint management:

• Receive – receive complaint from source, either client, referring service or staff member.
• Register & Acknowledge – complaint/dispute logged and timeframe for resolution outlined in consultation with complainant
• Assess – identify who is involved and exactly what the issues are, notify referring agency/parties/staff involved in complaint/dispute
• Investigate – after receiving written information, listening to all aspects, an investigation commences into any/all allegations to verify facts
• Respond – at completion of investigation, all parties are advised of findings and are given their opportunity to respond, as part of the process towards resolution
• Resolve – parties involved address findings and action taken to complete resolution – If a complainant remains dissatisfied with the response then as stated previously complaint/dispute will progress to the next person in the line of authority (Executive Manager or CEO)
• Record – all findings documented and filed in appropriate manner i.e complaints file/personnel file/client file & referring service provided with necessary information.
• Follow-up & prevention – Recommendations are made and mechanism set in place to review the implementation of changes, be it policies and procedures or relations and behaviours.

** If you feel that your complaint has not been dealt with appropriately you can contact the NDIS Commission on 1800 035 544 or at www.ndiscommission.gov.au, alternatively the Commonwealth Ombudsman on 1300 362 072.

** If a complaint becomes and Incident then A.P. Care services’ Incident Management process will be followed.