SCOPE AND PURPOSE                                                                                                                                                                         

At Think Tank Academy, we are committed to providing high quality services for all our customers and learners, taking account of users’ views and using the findings to promote and develop capacity for sustainable improvement.

This document details the complaints procedure. A complainant may be a learner, prospective learner, parent, employer or any other interested party that indicates dissatisfaction with the current level of service.

RESPONSIBILITY

Overall responsibility for this procedure lies with the Head of Operations.

All staff have a responsibility to try to resolve informal complaints prior to invoking the Complaints Procedure.

All staff have a responsibility to forward formal complaints to the Head of Operations and the Directors.

COMPLIMENTING OUR SERVICE

Compliments are valuable, welcome, and important and when they are received, either verbally or in writing, they will be recorded. Compliments enable Think Tank Academy to: –

• Understand that our service is being provided to the carers’ satisfaction
• Provide positive feedback to our staff
• Influence our organisational and service development
• Inform our quality assurance programme

MAKING A COMPLAINT

Formal complaints can be made in the following ways:

• By telephone – 0151 305 2965
• By Email – support@thinktank-academy.com
• In writing – Head of Operations

Think Tank Academy

Malthouse Business Centre

Southport Road

Ormskirk

L39 1QR

 

POLICY

Think Tank Academy:

• Will investigate complaints thoroughly and objectively and they will be regularly monitored by the management.
• Aims to reach an outcome / decision within twenty working days – however some complaints, especially if the issue is more difficult to resolve, may take longer.
• Will contact the complainant to advise if the investigation is likely to take more than twenty working days and will keep them informed of our progress by their preferred method of contact.
• Aims to have communicated the outcomes/decisions to the complainant within twenty working days.
• Will ensure that learners will not be treated less favourably following their complaint. If this is found to be the case, staff disciplinary procedures will be followed.
• Will identify actions from complaints, comments and compliments received to improve and develop our services.

PROCEDURE

Learners:

If a learner has a concern, it should initially be raised with their Coach, or an alternative member of staff if that is not appropriate. The member of staff must take every opportunity to resolve the complaint informally. If no resolution can be sought a formal complaint should be sent in via telephone, email, or written format.

If the complaint is communicated by telephone or email the member of staff can record the details on behalf of the complainant.

External complainants can contact the Head of Operations directly using the contact details above.

As part of our drive to improve our services, we will ask for Equality and Diversity Information for example, gender, age, ethnicity etc. these details help us to make sure that all people are treated fairly.

Complaints should be recorded with as much detail as possible but most importantly should include:

• full name
• date of birth
• contact details.

On receipt of a formal complaint an Investigation Lead will be allocated, normally the Quality & Compliance Manager, within five working days of receipt.  This will then trigger the 20-day cycle.

The appointed Investigation Lead will investigate the issues raised. The Investigation Lead will be provided with details so that they have all the information required to undertake the investigation.

Following the investigation, the outcomes/decision will be communicated to the complainant, by their preferred method of contact.

If the issues have been resolved the complaint will be closed on the Complaint System.

Compliments, Comments or Complaints should be raised within twelve months of the original issue so that evidence is available for the investigation.  Any Compliment, Comment or Complaint received after this period will not be investigated.

All complaints will be investigated and investigated but this could be limited for anonymous complaints, depending on the amount of information provided or available.

Learners should be aware that malicious complaints received in any form will result in disciplinary action (i.e. complaints that are not true, use of foul language in any communication that are sent to staff).

All complainants should be aware that company staff have the right to work in a pleasant and safe environment and any violent or abusive behaviour towards staff will not be tolerated.

 

COMPLAINTS APPEAL PROCESS

 If the complainant is dissatisfied with the outcome of a complaint, they may appeal against the decision within ten working days of our response.

The appeal will be investigated by a manager independent of the original complaint and the above timescales will apply. The outcome of this appeal concludes the complaints process.

 

EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY 

All complaints will be treated fairly and within the directives of the company’s equality and diversity policy. All complainants will be treated with respect and fairness throughout any investigations and processes linked to a complaint made.

 

LINKED POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

The Complaints Policy is linked to:

• Learner behaviour and disciplinary policy
• Safeguarding Policy
• Equality and diversity Policy
• Whistleblowing Policy

The policy is cross referenced to the above policies and any complaint that falls within the processes of another policy will be handled under the appropriate policy but formally logged as a complaint.