Policy Contact

Harminder Ghataaura

Date Issued

1st October 2021

Amended

1st July 2024

Next Review Date

1st July 2025

Approved by

Harminder Ghataaura

Oakwood 24 is committed to providing a high level of service to all of its customers, and as such, a robust Complaints process has been implemented, ensuring that all complaints, regardless of their nature and severity are dealt with in a timely and acceptable manner. At all times, the complaints procedure will comply with the requirements of the Local Authority Social Services and National Health Service Complaints (England) Regulations 2009.

Oakwood 24 ensures that the below written COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE - FOR HANDLING COMPLAINTS, OMISSIONS AND OVERSIGHTS IS MADE READILY AVAILABLE TO ALL RELEVANT PARTIES, INCLUDING (BUT NOT LIMITED TO):

• Authorities
• Participating Authorities
• Temporary Workers
• Internal Staff
• Work Seekers

Ensuring that Oakwood 24 handle complaints well:

• Demonstrates their commitment to the clients, staff, temporary workers and/or patients
• Demonstrates their commitment to providing the best possible service
• Assists Oakwood 24 in identifying issues within the business so they can be addressed
• Prevention

Oakwood 24 view complaints as an opportunity to learn and improve for the future, as well as addressing the complaint with the complaintive in order to rectify. The policy followed is:

• To provide a fair complaints procedure which is clear and easy to use for anyone wishing to make a complaint
• To publicise the existence of our complaints procedure so that people know how to contact us to make a complaint
• To make sure everyone at Oakwood 24 knows what to do if a complaint is received
• To make sure all complaints are investigated fairly and in a timely way
• To make sure that complaints are, wherever possible, resolved and that relationships are repaired
• To gather information which helps us to improve what we do

Complaints can be received via email, phone or fax alert. In all instances the same process is followed throughout to ensure consistency throughout the business.

The following process followed is:

• Complaint recorded on the central register within a day of receiving it. If it can be resolved informally over the phone, then it will.
• Written complaints acknowledged within 2 business days.
• Investigation opened into complaint received.
• Relevant parties contacted for statements.
• Member of staff may be required to speak to the complaintive.
• Complaintive will be invited to meet, discuss and resolve the complaint. This will be done within 5 days.
• Within 2 days of the meeting, Oakwood 24 will write to the complaintive to confirm what took place and agreed solutions.
• If no meeting is possible, a detailed reply will be sent to the complaintive. This will include any suggestions for resolving the matter, done within 5 days of completing his investigation.
• At this stage, if not satisfied, the complaintive will be directed towards other bodies such as the REC or the relevant professional body (NMC, HCPC, GMC etc)
• Where patient safety is questioned, appropriate action will be taken in order to reduce risk. This may include removing temporary workers from assignment until such time as a complaint has been resolved.
• Where necessary, any complaints and its findings will be escalated to the relevant professional & regulatory body.
• Complaints are resolved within 10 business days; however, if this is not possible, all relevant parties will be kept informed, with an audit trail documented on the recruiter system.

Complaints will be recorded & reviewed during monthly/yearly meetings in order to highlight trends. Any areas of improvement are quickly identified, with necessary changes implemented and communicated in order to reduce any further risk or dissatisfaction.

As part of the Oakwood 24 process, Temporary Workers supplied in the provision of the Services will be promptly and fully informed of complaints relating to them and Oakwood 24 will (and will use all reasonable endeavours to ensure that the Temporary Worker will) take demonstrable action to ensure there is no recurrence of the action complained of.

All complaints can be raised to the Oakwood 24 Complaints Team: Contact Name: Harminder Ghataaura

Contact number: 0204 518 1778

Address: 3, Sutherland House, Lloyd's Avenue, London, United Kingdom, EC3N 3DS

Where a complaint cannot be resolved satisfactorily, Oakwood 24 will escalate accordingly, or provide escalation details to those appropriate, as follows:

NMC

Address: 23 Portland Pl, London W1B 1PZ

Phone: 020 33076802

Email: complaints@nmc-uk.org / newreferrals@nmc-uk.org GMC

Address: 350 Euston Rd, London NW1 3JN

Phone: 0161 923 6602

Email: gmc@gmc-uk.org

HCPC

Address: Park House, 184 Kennington Park Road, London SE11 4BU

Phone: 0207 840 9814 / 0800 328 4218

Email: ftp@hcpc-uk.org

NHS Counter Fraud Authority (NHS CFA)

Address: NHS CFA, 7th Floor, HM Government Hub, 10 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf, London, E14 4PU

Phone: 0800 028 4060

Email: complaints@nhsfcfa.gov.uk

The Care Inspectorate

Address: Care Inspectorate, Compass House, 11 Riverside Drive, Dundee DD1 4NY

Phone: 0345 600 9527

Email: enquiries@careinspectorate.gov.scot / concerns@careinspectorate.gov.scot

Home Office

Immigration Enforcement Hotline: 0300 123 7000

Crimestoppers: 0800 555 111

Fraud Hotline (Action Fraud): 0300 123 2040

Website: https://www.gov.uk/report-immigration-crime

Should a complaint be escalated, Oakwood 24 will ensure that the details of how the complaint has been resolved should is notified to the Authority in writing as soon as possible thereafter.

Furthermore, we will upon request at any time from the Authority provide the Authority with anupdate as to the progress of the resolution of the complaint.

Where Oakwood 24 receive poor reports of a Temporary Worker's performance in a Confidential Reference written to us by, or on behalf of, the Authority, shall not supply that Temporary Worker to the Authority, until the Authority is satisfied that the issues identified have been resolved, will not recur and has confirmed this in writing to us.

Full records are retained on file of any and all complaints received. This is crucial as part of our ongoing commitment to continuous improvement, as well as part of our Quality Assurance Policy.

Oakwood 24 provide a copy of our complaint’s procedure to each Temporary Worker at recruitment. Each Temporary Worker signs and dates a declaration confirming receipt of such procedure and this declaration is retained in a way that cannot be altered, with the personnel records for that Temporary Worker.

This policy statement will be reviewed annually as part of our commitment to upholding professional standards. It may be altered from time to time in the light of legislative changes, operational procedures or other prevailing circumstances.