Complaints Policy

Introduction

At Health and Hope UK (HHUK) we always do our best to provide the highest possible quality of service to those individuals or organisations that we interact with in any way.

However, we acknowledge that there may be occasions when things go wrong, or you are dissatisfied with us and may wish to complain. When this does happen, we want to hear about it, deal with the situation as quickly as possible, and put measures in place to stop it happening again. We take complaints very seriously and we treat them as an opportunity to develop and improve.

Complaints should be made to the Executive Director who will acknowledge in writing, within 48 hours, the receipt of the complaint.  If the complaint is about the Executive Director, the complaint should be addressed to the Chair (marked ‘confidential’).

You can get in touch with us in the following ways:

Health and Hope UK,

27 Old Gloucester Street,

Holborn,

London,

WC1N 3AX

Please include your name, address and contact telephone number in your email or letter so that we can get back in touch with you easily.

The Executive Director (or Chair) will investigate the circumstances leading to the complaint and will communicate the results of the investigation to the complainant within a reasonable time – normally within 20 working days of the complaint being received.  If the complaint is found to be justified, the Executive Director (or Chair) will agree any necessary further action with the complainant.

If you remain unhappy with the resolution of your complaint, you will have the right to put your case, in writing, to an appeal panel of two Trustee Board members.

HHUK is committed to the highest standards in fundraising practice. If your complaint is to do with fundraising and you feel that it has been unresolved by us, then the Fundraising Regulator can investigate your complaint. You must contact them within two months of receiving your response from us. Contact can be made via the online complaints form, or via telephone: 0300 999 3407.

If you are concerned about the way in which your personal data has been processed by HHUK, please review our Privacy Policy, which includes details of how you can raise a complaint with HHUK. You can also contact the Information Commissioners’ Office and raise a complaint with them directly: https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/

Alternatively, if your complaint is related to another area of our work and you do not feel completely satisfied by our response then you can contact The Charity Commission at the address below.

The Charity Commission
PO Box 211
Bootle
L20 7YX

0300 066 9197

www.charity-commission.gov.uk

Complaints procedure

The Executive Director (or Chair) will keep the Trustee Board informed of the number and nature of complaints, and the outcomes.  S/he will report to the Board on this at least annually.

The person investigating any complaint should use this checklist when investigating a complaint as part of the Health and Hope UK complaints policy.

Have you discussed the investigation procedure and timescale with the complainant?

YES/NO

Have you conducted an interview to establish background to and detail of the complaint?

YES/NO

Have you written a statement about the complaint which you have dated and signed?

YES/NO

Has the complainant countersigned as correct the statement you have taken?

YES/NO

Have you given a copy of the complaint to those associated with its contents?

YES/NO

Have you asked, in writing, for a statement from those associated with the complaint within an agreed period of time?

YES/NO

 

Have you received the statements within the agreed time period?

YES/NO

Have you advised those being interviewed that they can have a friend with them?

YES/NO

Have you interviewed all those associated with the complaint?

YES/NO

Have you written up, signed, and dated your notes from each of these interviews?

YES/NO

Have you reviewed all the evidence placed before you?

YES/NO

Have you assessed whether or not you feel there are grounds for complaint?

YES/NO

If so, have you considered all the options for action that could/should be taken as a result?

YES/NO

Are you clear in your own mind what will be the content of the discussion with the Chair about this investigation and its findings?

YES/NO

Have you discussed fully with the Chair the findings of your investigation and your recommendations for action?

YES/NO

Have you put these formally in writing to the Chair, together with the statements and notes taken during the course of the investigation?

YES/NO