Complaints Policy

We are committed to providing top-quality service to all our customers, including employers and employees.

We welcome any feedback, whether observations, compliments or complaints, and we take all feedback, including complaints, very seriously. If you are not happy with any of our services, we will listen. Where improvements need to be made, we welcome the opportunity to learn, put things right, correct mistakes, and provide a better service.

All complaints will be handled promptly, fairly, accurately and objectively. We will investigate and address all the concerns in accordance with our Complaints Policy.

Your feedback, both positive and negative, will help us continue our mission to maintain and improve what we do.

If you wish to discuss your observation, concern or complaint about any aspect of our service, please contact us by email or post (See Contact page), stating the reason for your dissatisfaction. A member of the management team will endeavour to acknowledge your message within 5 days and respond to the complaint within 30 days.

Complaints Policy

Purpose and Scope

Workable OH Ltd (WOH) mission is to provide a high-quality, evidence-based and impartial OH service to all its service users, including employers and employees.

This Policy establishes the standard for the management of complaints and explains the principles of handling complaints by WOH.

Introduction

Any services, including occupational health services, may sometimes fall below the expectations of the service users. Even evidence-based medical service consistent with good medical practice may or may not meet the expectations of some users, leading to a concern or complaint being raised.

All feedback, both positive and negative, is important to WOH and helps us improve our service.

Main principles

Complaints will be given due attention and handled in an impartial, objective, timely and fair manner.

The complaint process intends to enable an objective structure to review, analyse the complaint in an open, accountable customer-focused manner, try to get things right and provide feedback to the Complainant, and learn lessons for improvements in service delivery.  WOH will handle complaints in line with the guidance from the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman[1]:

  • Getting it right
  • Being customer focused
  • Being open and accountable
  • Acting fairly and proportionately
  • Putting things right
  • Seeking continuous improvement.

The responsibility for ensuring compliance with this Policy rests with WOH’s Managing Director or their delegate.

All complaints will be handled in compliance with relevant guidance, including those issued by the General Medical Council and the Faculty of Occupational Medicine,  GDPR and relevant data protection legislation.

WOH is committed to promoting equality and diversity in accordance with the Equality Act 2010, and will ensure fair treatment to all involved parties.

In line with the Data Protection Act 1998, the complaint documentation is classified as sensitive personal data. Customers can request copies of complaints files in the same way as they do for their health records.

The process will involve respectful, empathetic and constructive communication with all involved parties in a timely manner.

The subject of the complaint is innocent until the fault is objectively proven. They are empowered to respond to complaints in an open and transparent way. However, if a complaint identifies information about a serious matter which indicates a need for disciplinary action, this will be managed as a disciplinary matter.

Complaints Procedure

WOH Service users (the employers or employees) may raise a complaint using the procedure described below.

  1. A complaint may start as a misunderstanding. Therefore, we encourage efforts to resolve complaints in an informal way wherever possible.
  1. If an informal way of resolving a complaint is not viable or effective, then the complaint should be made in writing within 3 months of the perceived incident.
  1. The complaint should include the following details:  The Complainant’s name, postal and email address, date and nature of the incident and persons involved, description of the complaint, what has/has not been done, the reason for dissatisfaction, and the expected solution.
  1. The complaint will be handled by the Managing Director or their representative (Complaint Manager, CM), working with the indemnity organisation.
  1. The CM will endeavour to contact the complaining party within 5 working days to acknowledge the receipt of the complaint and provide information on the handling process, including this Policy.
  1. The CM will create a confidential Complaint File, including all relevant notes. If required, the CM may contact the subject of the complaint and the Complainant to seek additional information.
  1. The CM will provide a written response to the complaint within 30 working days from the date of the complaint, including:
    1. An acknowledgement of dissatisfaction and a relevant apology
    2. Summary of the complaint / concern
    3. Summary of the investigation, including a chronological account
    4. Relevant best practice guidelines
    5. Summary of how the points have been or will be addressed 
    6. Potential learning points (if applicable)[2]

This timeframe will allow careful consideration of all aspects and preparing a fair, objective and exhaustive reply.

  1. If the complaining party remains dissatisfied, the CM will encourage dialogue to facilitate the resolution, e.g. a conciliation meeting.

In rare cases, the relationship of trust may break down irreparably during or after the procedure, leaving little choice but to end the professional relationship. This may be the case, e.g. when the Complainant becomes abusive, acts inconsiderately or unreasonably or demonstrably misleads to accomplish an advantage.[3]

References

Good Medical Practice

MDDUS Resources: Core principles, Proactive response to complaint handling

Principles of Good Complaint Handling, Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

If you have additional questions or comments, please get in touch using our Contact page