4. POLICY

4.1 COMPLAINTS
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Three Sisters Care Limited understands complaints to be an expression of dissatisfaction requiring a response, communicated verbally, electronically, or in writing. Complaints may be made by any Service Users, their family or advocate acting on their behalf, with their consent or in their best interests

Three Sisters Care Limited takes complaints seriously. We will aim to put things right that have gone wrong and learn lessons to avoid the problem happening again. This policy sets out the framework for how Three Sisters Care Limited will achieve this. The detail of how Three Sisters Care Limited will do this will be found in the associated procedures

Three Sisters Care Limited will comply with legislation, national guidelines, regulation and best practice when managing complaints and suggestions. A systematic approach will be taken with all aspects of complaints and suggestions

Complaints or concerns by staff will be addressed via the grievance process if the complaint or concerns relates to them individually or the Whistleblowing procedure where a protected disclosure is made

Three Sisters Care Limited understands our statutory obligations in respect of the Duty of Candour

and will ensure we follow the agreed policy and procedure
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4.2 Three Sisters Care Limited will ensure that the complaints and compliments process at Three Sisters Care Limited is fair and transparent and does not discriminate directly or indirectly because of the following:

• Š Age
• Being or becoming a transsexual/transgender person
• Being married or in a civil partnership
• Being pregnant or on maternity leave
• Disability
• Race including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin
• Religion, belief or lack of religion/belief
• Sex
• Sexual orientation

The complainant will feel free to complain without fear of reprisals and will be treated with courtesy, respect and compassion. Three Sisters Care Limited will ensure that the process of how to make a complaint and the feedback is provided in a way that meets the Accessible Information Standards and is in a format that the Service User can understand.

4.3 Seeking Views and Engaging with Service Users

Three Sisters Care Limited will seek out opportunities to obtain feedback from Service Users and stakeholders. Three Sisters Care Limited will act with sensitivity, integrity and professionalism by treating individuals who do complain or raise a suggestion with compassion, courtesy and respect. The service will protect the Service User’s right to confidentiality. Three Sisters Care Limited will ensure that alternative methods of communication are available so that the complaints and suggestions procedures are accessible for Service Users who experience difficulties with communication or whose first language is not English.
Staff will undertake training on how to manage complaints in line with their role and responsibilities.

4.4 Three Sisters Care Limited understands that it can be difficult to separate a complaint from a concern, therefore, Three Sisters Care Limited will follow this policy when any dissatisfaction arises with the service.

4.5 A full record will be held of all complaints received regardless of the level of seriousness and means of communication. This approach allows an open and transparent culture around raising concerns in the earliest stage to allow resolution. A record of the complaint will also be held in the Service User’s Care file and reported in line with contractual or regulatory requirements.

4.6 Safeguarding Concerns
Where a complaint or concern is raised that relates to a Service User being harmed or likely to be harmed, Three Sisters Care Limited will follow its Safeguarding Policy and Procedures in addition to the complaints procedures, seeking advice and guidance from the London Borough of Tower Hamlets Safeguarding Adults team and escalating concerns in line with London Borough of Tower Hamlets procedure. Three Sisters Care Limited will also notify CQC in line with our statutory duty.

4.7 Roles and Responsibilities

All Staff

• It is acknowledged that all staff working within Three Sisters Care Limited may be presented with an individual wishing to raise a concern or complaint at any time, therefore staff need to be able to manage this in a sensitive, structured and timely manner. In order to do this staff will:
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• Be trained on induction and as a routine measure to ensure knowledge is embedded and refreshed around the complaints procedure
• Have access to the complaints procedure
• Be provided with the opportunity to reflect and learn from complaints as a means of developing and driving quality care
• Appreciate that any feedback from Service Users or their representatives that is of concern needs immediate resolution, where possible, to their satisfaction. Care Plans will be updated to reflect the planned changes to care and the Registered Care Manager informed of the feedback. Failing to do this may result in a complaint
• Be clearly advised that on presentation of a complaint, swift escalation to management is necessary and purposefully withholding or concealing of concerns expressed by Service Users or their representatives may lead to disciplinary action
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Three Sisters Care Limited Management Team

The management team at Three Sisters Care Limited is responsible for ensuring compliance with this policy, regulations, improvement planning and having arrangements in place to provide
relevant reports and information regarding complaints

Mrs Lesley Wickens is the main point of contact for the receipt, investigation and management of complaints within Three Sisters Care Limited. However, this may be delegated to a senior member of staff within Three Sisters Care Limited who holds the experience, knowledge and competence to investigate and manage complaints

Three Sisters Care Limited will ensure the procedure for raising a complaint is accessible and displayed prominently in Three Sisters Care Limited on the website of Three Sisters Care Limited and within the Service User information and guides. Alternative languages and formats will be available on request.Š
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4.8 Compliments and Suggestions

Three Sisters Care Limited welcomes compliments and suggestions and recognises their importance in celebrating and recognising the success of our service and opportunities for improvement. We will engage with a wide range of stakeholders in addition to Service Users to support service development and improvement. We will share feedback with our staff.

4.9 One Complaint, One Response

Three Sisters Care Limited will follow the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman best practice and where Service Users are receiving services for more than one organisation, we will ensure they can make a complaint to anyone and be provided with a single response following a joint investigation.