Complaints Procedure

Introduction

BEGIN welcomes complaints, comments, compliments and queries from everyone who uses our services. We are committed to use them effectively as a basis for identifying opportunities for quality improvement. If we receive negative feedback through our client satisfaction survey that warrants further investigation we will consider it under the complaints procedure.

Complaints Procedure for BEGIN services

· If you have a complaint about BEGIN services in Greater Nottingham you can contact us in writing, by email, phoning or making a time to see the Service Manager Fiona Vale.

· All complaints will be dealt with in confidence. We will discuss with you if you want us to use your name or if you wish the complaint to be made anonymously. All clients who complain will be sent a copy of our complaints procedure.

· We aim to respond to complaints within 5 working days wherever possible. If we cannot solve the problem immediately we will state reasons and keep you up to date with progress.

· The Service Manager will examine the complaint carefully and work with you to:

- Identify the cause of the problem

- Try and put things right, and

- Make sure the problem does not happen again.

· She will discuss her findings with you and agree:

- What action you wish her to take and

- How she can make sure the problem does not re-occur.

· Dated actions against complaints are recorded on the complaint log and reviewed at least monthly by the quality and service manager and also fed into our quality meetings, where action to improve service delivery can be agreed and cascaded to the wider team at team meetings.

· If you are not happy about the way your complaint has been dealt with you should contact, the Chair of the Steering Group. Please write, marked confidential c/o BEGIN at Nottingham College , City (Adams), Stoney Street, Nottingham NG1 1NG or request that they call you.

Complaints Procedure for other related services

· If BEGIN receives a complaint about any other related organisation, such as a college or a community learning centre our staff will record it and make you aware of how you can complain directly to that organisation. Alternatively, with your permission we will forward your comments to the relevant manager. We aim to keep in regular contact with the deliverers of the colleges and to arrange with them how they would wish to receive feedback from students.

· Our funders are also interested in your comments on the courses and you may contact them directly with feedback. They may ask us to pass on general comments. We would not pass on your personal details without your permission.

· Comments on our services or the services of related organisations from clients may also be discussed anonymously at BEGIN’s Steering Group and other learning forums to plan for improved services in the future.