Complaints and Feedback Policy
MND Queensland is committed to being accountable to all of our stakeholders. We treat all feedback about employees and/or performance as an opportunity to learn and improve our processes.
A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction made to or about an organisation, related to its products, services or staff where a response or resolution is explicitly or implicitly expected or legally required. 1
Principles
The MND Queensland complaints, processes are:
- stakeholder focused to ensure the person raising a complaint or offering feedback or a compliment is at the heart of the process.
- Discreet – .In order to effectively investigate a complaint and identify opportunities for improvements, details may need to be shared with relevant staff. Whilst MND Queensland will manage this sharing with discretion, it is unable to ensure full confidentiality for all complainants. However, any specific requests for confidentiality (see 1.5.3) will be respectedand the potential limitations to the investigation process and subsequent resolution will be discussed with the complainant.
- accessible – such that the processes can be easily understood and are clearly available to all MND Queensland stakeholders via the MND Queensland website and by other means. (see 1.5.2)
- impartial, just and fair – ensuring complaints are treated objectively, with decisions evidence-based and proportionate to the circumstances. There will be no victimisation of, or repercussion for any person who makes a complaint.
- timely – we acknowledge the complaint no later than the next business day and aim to resolve the complaint to the stakeholder’s satisfaction (where possible) at the earliest opportunity.
- driven by continuous quality improvement – outcomes of complaints are used to identify improvements that can be made to service and performance.
- 1 AS/NZ 10002:2014 Guidelines for Complaint Management in Organizations (as amended)
POLICY
1.5.1 Policy
Any person who makes a complaint to MND Queensland will be treated with courtesy and respect. They will be dealt with in a fair and unbiased manner and will not be subject to victimisation or repercussions as a result of lodging a complaint. In return, MND Queensland expects complainants to communicate their concerns fairly and appropriately. Should a complainant behave unreasonably at any time during the process of MND Queensland dealing with the complaint, MND Queensland reserves the right to terminate the process and, if appropriate, take action under other policies.
An anonymous complaint will be considered feedback and treated with the same principles as a complaint. MND Queensland will endeavour to act on and improve when an anonymous complaint is received, however there will be no commitment to act, given the difficulty of anonymous complaint verification and communication.
All complaints will be registered in the centralised Complaints Register. The register allows for recording and tracking of the outcomes of complaints. The register is reviewed on a regular basis by the CEO with a view to identifying and addressing recurrent themes, systemic issues, risks or organisational processes.
Complaints assist MND Queensland to learn from, and improve, what we do and how we do it. To this end, complaint processes will include an appropriate assessment and reflection on lessons learned and quality improvement to mitigate the risk of recurrence. This information may not necessarily be provided to the complainant or made public. If an investigation of a complaint determines that the service, actions or failure to act by individuals or the organisation has contributed to the complaint being substantiated, MND Queensland will take whatever action is appropriate including but not limited to:
- Admit the mistake occurred and offer a sincere and meaningful apology
- Reconsider a decision
- Amend or retract documentation/files
- Change policies or practices to prevent recurrence
- Take action to modify the behaviour of the staff member or organisational representative who was the subject of the complaint
Compliments, as with complaints, assist MND Queensland to assess what is valued and what has a positive impact on our stakeholders and community. Compliments contribute to our learning through reinforcing our actions and processes in our continuous quality improvement review
1.5.2 Transparency
The MND Queensland Complaints and Feedback Policy should be accessible to all stakeholders and Clients and easily found in a variety of formats.
Therefore, this policy will be advertised in the following ways:
- A link to the policy will be on the front page MND Queensland website and be clearly labelled Complaints and Feedback Policy.
- The form provided on the website will be clearly labelled “making a complaint”.
- Provided to and discussed with Clients during orientation/on-boarding.
- Detailed in Client Service Agreements.
1.5.3 Lodging a complaint
To lodge a complaint, MND Queensland provides a variety of ways for complainants to make contact: Complainants should specify if they desire confidentiality at the start of their complaint.
NDIS funded participants may choose to take their complaint directly to the NDIS Commission who can be contacted on 1800 035 544.
‘Internal complaints will be assessed to determine whether they are best managed under THIS POLICY OR UNDER the Whistleblower Policy or THE Bullying and Harassment Policy. The complainant will be advised accordingly.
1.5.4 Unresolved Complaints
Complaints made to the Director of Care Services, that are unable to be resolved to the complainants satisfaction, will be escalated to the CEO for further investigation and attempts at resolution.
There will be no further opportunity for escalation within MND Queensland after the CEO’s response but if a complaint made by a NDIS funded Client cannot be resolved internally, the complainant may be referred to the external agency, listed below:
NDIS Commission
- Ph: 1800 035 544 (free call from landlines) Interpreters can be arranged
- National Relay Service and ask for 1800 035 544
- Completing a complaint contact form
https://forms.business.gov.au/smartforms/servlet/SmartForm.html?formCode=PRD00-OCF
1.5.5 Sharing Compliments
Compliments will be shared with staff as well as being included in any internal audit or process review. This log of formal Compliments will be maintained by the Office Manager and anyone receiving a specific compliment in writing or online, should provide this to the Office Manager for the records.
Complaints and Feedback Form
Click here to download a complaints and feedback form that you can fill in and email back to director-careservices@mndqld.org.au or you may use the below website form to give anonymous feedback or to make an anonymous complaint.