If a person wishes to raise a complaint it is important that it is handled well. Handling a complaint well will:
· Demonstrate our commitment to our donors and other stakeholders.
· Demonstrate our commitment to providing the best possible service.
· Help us identify things that may have gone wrong so we can learn from them and fix them.
· Ensure we don’t repeat mistakes in the future.
The Charity, via the SHCC must deal with and log all complaints effectively. In addition, the formal body for dealing with fundraising complaints is the Fundraising Regulator. Independent information and guidance when dealing with a charity complaint can be obtained directly from the Charity Commission.
1. On receiving a complaint, the Charity will log it on the Charity’s complaints log and the Charity Director will be informed. Details captured will include the name and contact details of the complainant, their relationship with the Charity (for example: donor, event participant or volunteer) and details of the nature of their complaint and the date it was received.
2. We will acknowledge the complaint, no later than two working days after receipt and wherever possible, we will provide a full resolution of the complaint.
3. Where a concern requires the Charity to undertake further investigations, and we are unable to provide a full resolution as part of our initial response, we will provide an expected timescale for our response and keep the individual up-to-date at regular intervals throughout our investigations. Where this is the case, we will also tell the individual who is managing the complaint, ensuring they have a point of contact.
4. In any event, a full response will be sent no later than 20 working days/one calendar month from the date the complaint was received.
5. The complaint will be investigated by the relevant person and the recommended outcome from the investigation will be approved by the Charity Director. If the Charity Director is the investigator, the Director of People and Transformation would be the sole approver.
6. If the complainant is still not happy, the case will be escalated to Stage 2.
5. Trustees/Chair of the Southmead Hospital Charity Committee will be informed and be provided with copies of all correspondence. The Chair and Charity Director will review and decide whether or not to uphold the response of the Charity.
6. Within 30 days, the Chair should write to the complainant with this final decision. Whether the complaint is upheld or not, the reply to the complainant should describe what action will be taken as a result of the complaint. All Trustees should be advised accordingly so they are aware of the complaint, the outcome and any potential consequences.
7. This decision is final, unless the Chair decides to seek external assistance.
In the event that the complainant is still not satisfied, then they can refer the case to the Fundraising Regulator. It is essential that a detailed and accurate record of all calls and correspondence is kept as this will be critical in any further investigation.
For complaints about any of our fundraising activities, contact details are:
Fundraising Regulator
2nd Floor
CAN Mezzanine Building
49-51 East Road
London
N1 6AH
Email: enquiries@fundraisingregulator.org.uk
Tel: 0300 999 3407
www.fundraisingregulator.org.uk
Southmead Hospital Charity (SHC) aims to constantly improve the service we provide to our supporters and donors.
When a complaint is received, we will log and investigate it promptly in line with our complaints procedure.
SHC is regulated by the Fundraising Regulator (FR), the independent regulator of charity fundraising. The FR sets and promotes the standards for all fundraising activity, known as the “Code of Fundraising Practice”. For more information on the FR, please visit their website.
We define a complaint as a situation or instance where either an individual or organisation considers that SHC has fallen short of their reasonable expectations and wishes to express their dissatisfaction. A complaint can be communicated to the Charity through any channel including telephone, mail, email, social media or in person.
You can contact us:
Email: southmeadhospitalcharity@nbt.nhs.uk
Telephone: 0117 414 0170
Or write to us at:
Kendon House
Southmead Hospital
Bristol
BS10 5NB
We aim to respond to all complaints and concerns, and resolve them quickly, fairly and effectively. We promise to deal with your complaint sensitively. We will acknowledge your complaint, no later than two working days after receipt. Wherever possible, we will aim to provide a full resolution to your complaint within this same timeframe.
Where your concerns require us to undertake further investigations, and we are not able to provide a full resolution as part of our initial response, we will provide you with an expected timescale for our response as part of your acknowledgement and keep you up-to-date at regular intervals throughout our investigations. Where this is the case, we will also tell you who is managing your complaint so you have a point of contact should you need to get in touch with us. In any event, you should expect to receive a full response from us at the earliest opportunity and no later than 20 working days/one calendar month from the date we received your complaint.
In order to assist us with your enquiries, please explain your concerns as clearly and fully as possible. There may be some occasions where we need to ask you for more information to investigate your concerns fully and, if this is the case, your kind response will enable us to resolve your complaint as promptly as possible.
On rare occasions we may choose not to respond to your complaint at all.
These may include:
· When we believe a complainant unreasonably pursues a complaint that we have already responded to.
· When a complainant is being obviously abusive, prejudiced or offensive.
· When a complainant is harassing a staff member.
You may want to complain without sharing your personal details. If this is the case, please be assured the Charity will investigate the complaint and use the information to improve our processes in any way we can but will be unable to advise you of the outcome.
We really hope we can resolve your complaint in an honest, open and satisfactory way. However, if you are still unhappy you can get in touch with the following external regulators.
For complaints about any of our fundraising activities:
Fundraising Regulator
2nd Floor
CAN Mezzanine Building
49-51 East Road
London
N1 6AH
Email: enquiries@fundraisingregulator.org.uk
Tel: 0300 999 3407
www.fundraisingregulator.org.uk
For complaints relating to how the Charity processes personal data:
The Information Commissioner
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Tel: 0303 123 1113
www.ico.org.uk
For all other areas of our work:
The Charity Commission
P O Box 1227
Liverpool
L69 3UG
Tel: 0845 3000 218
www.charity-commission.gov.uk
In order to manage our complaints process effectively, we maintain a log of all complaints raised, including information about you as the complainant. If you would like further information, or have any concerns, about the information we may hold about you in this regard, please refer to our Privacy Policy by clicking here or speak with a member of the Charity team.
Please contact the Charity team if you have any queries concerning our complaints policy on southmeadhospitalcharity@nbt.nhs.uk
