Complaint Policy

1. Scope

This policy applies to Participants receiving service (Service) from The Salt Foundation (Foundation) and/or their Representative/Nominee.

2. Purpose of the policy

The intention of this policy is to ensure that Participants using the Service and/or their Representatives/Nominees have the right to raise and have resolved, any complaint (the expression of a grievance which is a cause of dissatisfaction) or dispute (controversy, debate, quarrel, or disagreement) in relation to the services they receive. Such complaints and disputes (collectively, Grievances) will be dealt with promptly, fairly, confidentially, and with no adverse repercussions for the individual initiating the procedure.

3. Foundation commitments

The Foundation:

encourages the raising of grievances by Participants and/or their Representative/Nominee regarding any areas of dissatisfaction with the service provided.
supports the management of grievances in a way that Participants and/or their Representative/Nominee will have no fear of retributive action when raising grievances.
will provide a system for raising grievances in a way that is accessible and transparent for all stakeholders.
provide Participants with the opportunity to have access to an independent person of their choice to assist them through a grievance process.
resolve grievances in a timely manner and in accordance with current policies and procedures.
will provide a system that follows principles of procedural fairness and natural justice and complies with the requirements under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (Complaints Management and Resolution) Rules 2018.
will have a process for including issues raised from grievances for improvements within the Service, on the Continuous Improvement Register, where indicated.
is committed to fostering a culture of continuous improvement across all levels of the organisation and therefore welcome feedback, whether a compliment or grievance.

4. Delegations of the Management Team

The Management Team will:

- receive grievances which have not been able to be resolved by staff;
- appoint a Grievance Team and oversee its responsibilities;
- approve the Role and Responsibility/Guidelines of the Grievance Team;
- set procedures for the Grievance Team.

5. Delegations of the Compliance Manager

The Compliance Manager will:
- identify and address potential problems before they become formal grievances;
- be aware of, and committed to, the principles of open communication and information sharing with the Participant and/or their Representative/Nominee;
- ensure, as far as practicable, all grievances are handled in the most appropriate manner at the earliest opportunity, and all concerned are treated fairly and without fear of retribution; and
- provide information to complainants about the referral to the Grievance Team, where a grievance is not able to be resolved satisfactorily.

6. Obligations of all employees

All employees will be aware of, trained in, and comply with the required procedures in

relation to complaints handling.

7. The complaints and dispute process

The Intake Manager will create an environment in which the Participant and/or their Representative/Nominee feel free to raise their concerns about service delivery and are assisted in pursuing a resolution of issues and complaints.

At the signing of the Service Agreement, the Intake Manager will provide a written copy of the Complaints and Disputes procedure to the Participant and/or their Representative/Nominee, and will explain it in detail.

Staff will make every effort to establish an atmosphere of trust and open communication so that grievances are dealt with in a constructive way, and as soon as possible after the grievance is received.

Should a grievance be made, the Compliance Manager will:

explain to the Participant and/or their Representative/Nominee, all the steps which will be taken to resolve the issue;
obtain their consent before any action is taken;
provide a Complaint Form for completion and signature by the complainant;
maintain a Complaints Register containing a record of each grievance received
include the grievance/resolution in the Report to the Management Team.

8. Problems which may constitute a complaint or grievance

Problems which may constitute a grievance could include:

physical, sexual, emotional, or verbal abuse or harassment;
invasion of privacy;
discrimination;
deprivation of choice;
lack of respect for an individual’s dignity;
repeated tardiness;
patronizing language;
unsafe driving practices;
unwelcome imposition of will;
offensive language;
smoking or vaping; or
any practice objected to by the Participant and/or their Representative/Nominee.

9. Grievances involving an incident or unlawful act

If the matter raised involves an incident, an Incident Form will also be completed, and action taken regarding the incident.

If a grievance involves an unlawful act, the matter may be referred to the appropriate agency.

10. Resolving a complaint

All grievances will be dealt with as soon and informally as possible, whilst maintaining the privacy and confidentiality of all persons concerned.

Participants may have a Representative/Nominee provide support during any part of the grievance process. If they do not have a Representative/Nominee within their network, the Service will provide details of Advocacy Agencies with the area.

All grievances, whether formal or informal, must be:

undertaken in a fair and positive manner with confidentiality maintained throughout the process;
approached in a positive way, with the aim of resolving the grievance in an appropriate manner;
referred to the Management Team, either for their action or for their information.

11. Grievances about a support worker

The matter should be discussed with the Care Team Team Leader and recorded in the Feedback and Complaints register. The Care Team Team Leader will listen to the grievance and investigate the circumstances and events leading up to the grievance. The grievance is to be included in the Care Team’s report to the Compliance Manager.

The Care Team Team Leader is to discuss the matter with the Participant and/or their Representative/Nominee, with a view to finding a resolution and way forward to finalise the matter, as informally as possible.

12. Grievances about a manager, team, or team member

If the grievance is against a person in a team, or the team as a whole, the complainant may make a grievance to the team’s manager or team leader. Grievances against a manager or team leader can be directed to the manager/team leader’s manager.

13. Escalation of grievances

If grievances cannot be resolved to the satisfaction of the complainant, the matter will be referred to the Management Team, as soon as practicable, for further action.

14. Referral to the Grievance Team

If the Management Team decide the grievance is to be addressed formally through the Grievance Team, the Grievance Team will investigate and meet with the person’s concerned.

Following referral to the Grievance Team, if the grievance is not resolved, the Management Team will be informed, and the complainant will be advised of their right to contact the relevant external authority.

15. Role of the Grievance Team (See Role & Responsibilities of the Grievance Team, approved by the Management Team)

The Grievance Team will:

follow all Grievance Team Guidelines to resolve the grievance;

make any recommendations to the Management Team if Service improvements are indicated for inclusion in the Continuous Improvement register;

ensure, as far as practicable, that the manner in which all meetings are conducted will be conducive to maintaining relationships and will provide fair, objective, and independent analysis of the situation, whilst maintaining privacy and confidentiality.

16. The Grievance Meeting

Prior to the first grievance meeting, a complainant will be offered the opportunity to include an independent person/s to support them at meetings.

In the Grievance Meeting, the Grievance Team will:

establish the role of the support person/s, if one or more are present;
outline the process that is to be followed;
inform the parties that any information obtained in the conduct of the meeting is confidential;
take accurate and detailed notes of all conversations, including dates and people involved, and attach any supporting documentation;

After the meeting has been concluded, if deemed necessary, the Grievance Team will provide the complainant with a written summary of the meeting and clarification of the next steps to be taken;

The agreed outcome and planned actions from the meeting will be recorded, signed, and copies supplied to all parties. This will be reported to the Management Team, and a timetable agreed upon for a review of the resulting actions. The final statement of outcome and resolution must also be entered into the Complaints Register and, if indicated, the Continuous Improvement Register. This indicates the conclusion of the Grievance process.

17. Feedback about the Grievances process

Persons involved in a Grievance process will:

be provided with a Feedback Form to document their level of satisfaction with the Grievance process;
have access to a later review of any resulting corrective action/s taken.

18. Appeals Process:

If the complainant is not satisfied with the outcome of their grievance, they have the right to request that the Foundation review the process. The complainant will also be provided with information about their right to contact the relevant external authority.

19. Continuous improvement

The Foundation is committed to ensuring continuous improvement in the management of grievances and disputes. To achieve this, the following principles will guide the Foundation’s approach:

19.1 Regular Review of Policies and Procedures

The Foundation will conduct regular reviews of the Participant Complaints Disputes and Appeals Policy and procedures to assess their effectiveness and relevance. These reviews will be scheduled at least annually and may be conducted more frequently if deemed necessary.

19.2 Seeking Participant Views

The Foundation values the perspectives of Participants and recognises the importance of their input in enhancing the grievance management and resolution system. Therefore, the Foundation will actively seek Participant views on the accessibility, fairness, and effectiveness of the grievances management processes.

19.3 Incorporation of Feedback

Feedback received from Participants regarding the accessibility and functionality of the grievances management system will be carefully considered and incorporated into organisational practices. Suggestions for improvement will be evaluated, and appropriate adjustments will be made to policies, procedures, and systems as needed.

19.4 Organisational Integration

The Foundation is committed to fostering a culture of continuous improvement across all levels of the organisation. Feedback obtained from Participants regarding grievance and dispute management will be disseminated throughout the organisation to relevant stakeholders. This ensures that insights from Participants contribute to organisational learning and drive improvements in service delivery.