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Complaints Policy 2025

Home > Complaints Policy 2025

Striding Edge Complaints Policy October 2025

Superseding the  October 2023 version.

Contents

Introduction

Purpose

Definitions

Roles and Responsibilities

Striding Edge Consultancy Complaints Procedure

Confidentiality

Response to Oral Complaints

Investigation and Response

Support for Staff

Complaints Meetings

Improving our Services

Equality, Diversity & Human Rights Impact Assessment

Dissemination & Implementation

Monitoring Compliance

Standards & Key Performance Indicators

Introduction

  1. Striding Edge Consultancy Ltd (Striding Edge) is committed to providing any user of the organisation’s services, their family or members of the public with the opportunity to seek advice, raise concerns or make a complaint about any of the services it delivers or commissions.
  2. Striding Edge will always listen to the concerns raised, apologise where appropriate, put right any errors and learn from every complaint made.
  3. Our approach aims are:
  • Getting it right
  • Being customer focused
  • Being open and accountable
  • Acting fairly and proportionately
  • Putting things right
  • Seeking continuous improvement
  1. These are supported through the process of listening, responding and improving. Striding Edge will take an active approach to asking for people’s views, deal with complaints effectively and use the information received to learn and improve.

Purpose

  1. The purpose of this document is to outline Striding Edge’s complaints policy to ensure that all complaints are resolved respectfully, promptly and appropriately.
  2. Striding Edge views complaints positively and is committed to having effective procedures in place to handle all issues brought to our attention. We endeavour to get the job right first time but with busy services mistakes can happen and expectations are not always met.  However, if we can respond to these mistakes quickly and effectively then future problems can be prevented.
  3. Complaints often arise from differences of understanding, perceptions, or beliefs but they provide a valuable indication of the quality of services provided and this information can and will be used to help improve services and find a better way to meet the needs of patients.
  4. Striding Edge will treat all complaints seriously and will listen to what clients have to say and provide assistance and advice on the process which the organisation will follow. All complaints will be properly investigated in an unbiased, non-judgemental, open and transparent manner and receive a timely and appropriate response, the outcome of the investigation will be explained along with any actions which are taken in light of the complaint.
  5. The key aims of this policy are:
  • To provide clear, simple, easy to understand procedures for managing complaints which are widely publicised and accessible to all
  • That staff and complainants are provided with support and the necessary guidance throughout the complaints process
  • That the causes of complaints are identified, and actions are taken to prevent recurrences
  • That responses are provided to complainants in appropriate timeframes and methods, with the sympathy and understanding that is required
  • That lessons learnt from complaints are acted upon and shared throughout the organisation to improve standards of care
  • To ensure that the complainants’ care is not adversely affected in any way because of having made a complaint
  • Ensure that a remedy will be made where appropriate

Definitions

Scope of the Policy

  1. This policy applies to all staff employed by, and working as associates with Striding Edge. Where Striding Edge contracts services we expect those providers to have robust polices that mirror and reflect this policy.

What is a complaint?

  1. Concerns may be expressed about any areas of treatment, attitude or any other influence which directly or indirectly affects the service user.
  2. A complaint is an expression of concern or dissatisfaction about a service Striding Edge delivers or commissions. Commissioned services are those that are paid for by Striding Edge but provided by other organisations. It is important to confirm with the caller or correspondent that they wish to make a complaint rather than simply enquire about the details of a service.

Who can make a complaint

  1. A complaint can be made by any person who is receiving or has received services provided by Striding Edge. Any person can also complain if they are or may have been affected by an action or decision of Striding Edge.
  2. A complaint can also be made by a representative acting on behalf of a person who receives or has received services from or commissioned by Striding Edge who:
  • Is unable to make the complaint themselves because of physical incapacity or lack of capacity within the meaning of the Mental Capacity Act 2005
  • Has died
  • Has requested a representative to act on their behalf
  1. If a complaint is made on behalf of an individual then Striding Edge will need to seek consent from the individual so that a full investigation can be carried out.
  2. If the individual is not able to provide consent for a person to make the complaint on their behalf (for example, they are incapable due to lack of physical or mental capacity or they are a child) then their legal guardian or parent or other verified appropriate representative will be accepted to act on their behalf.
  3. If a person is deceased, the relationship of the complainant to the deceased patient must be clarified and confirmed as the next of kin or Executor of Estate.
  4. If a Member of Parliament (MP) makes a complaint on behalf of a constituent, it will be considered that the MP has obtained consent from the patient prior to contact with Striding Edge (in line with the requirements of the Data Protection Act 2018

Serious Complaints

  1. If a complaint is an allegation or suspicion of any of the below it should immediately be investigated as a formal complaint:
  • Physical abuse
  • Sexual abuse
  • Financial misconduct
  • Criminal offence
  1. In a situation where a person disclosed physical/sexual abuse or financial misconduct it must be reported even if the person does not want to make a complaint. Striding Edge’s Safeguarding Policies should be referred to for further advice in these circumstances. Confidentiality will be maintained in such a way that only managers and staff who are leading the investigation know the contents of the case.  Anyone disclosing information to others who are not directly involved in the case should be dealt with under the disciplinary procedure.  In the case of financial misconduct Striding Edge’s detailed financial policies must be followed.

Roles and Responsibilities

The company owner is responsible for:

  1. ensuring compliance with the arrangements made under this policy and ensuring that action is taken if necessary, depending on the outcome of the complaint and also for cultivating a culture of listening and learning from customer experiences.
  2. approving and signing all complaints response letters.
  3. managing the procedures for handling and considering complaints in accordance with the arrangements made under this policy.
  4. ensuring that all current investigations into complaints are tracked and monitored and target dates for draft responses are met.
  5. Striding Edge values all forms of feedback and actively encourages staff to record all forms of feedback including complaints, compliments, concerns, and comments.

Striding Edge Consultancy Complaints Procedure

  1. A complaint can be made orally, in writing or electronically. If Striding Edge receives an oral complaint the member of staff receiving the complaint must make a written record of the complaint and provide a copy to the owner as soon as possible.  Where required, interpreters should be used to ensure that accurate details of the complaint are recorded.  Striding Edge will acknowledge the complaint within 3 working days of receipt.
  2. Where possible, we will have discussed or engaged in written communication with the complainant and cover the following issues:
  • The manner in which the complaint is to be handled i.e. written response or meeting
  • The time period in which the investigation is likely to be completed (in straightforward cases typically 25 days but longer may be needed for complex complaints)
  • The complainant’s desired outcomes from raising their complaint.
  1. If the complainant does not accept the offer of a discussion in relation to the above, Striding Edge will determine the response period and notify the complainant of that response period in writing.
  2. In the case of enquiries that do not escalate to a complaint then Striding Edge will deal with these in accordance with the procedure in Appendix 2.

Confidentiality

  1. Complaints will always be handled in the strictest confidence. Care will be taken that information is only disclosed to those who have a demonstrated need to have access to it.

Response to Oral Complaints

  1. Any member of staff receiving an oral complaint should establish whether the matter is one that they, or a colleague can respond to immediately.
  2. If a member of staff is approached by a service user who wishes to make an oral complaint which the member of staff can resolve to the service user’s satisfaction within one working day, then the issues will not be recorded as a formal complaint. However, to ensure that Striding Edge captures all the concerns of the clients, staff are requested to inform the owner of such issues.

Investigation and Response

  1. Striding Edge will investigate a complaint in a manner appropriate to resolve it as speedily and efficiently as possible after receiving the complaint. This investigation will be carried out by someone not directly involved in the events leading to the complaint.  The details of the complaint and the investigation form (Appendix 3) will be sent to the owner.
  2. As soon as possible after completing the investigation, and within the timescales agreed with the complainant, Striding Edge shall send a formal response in writing (or if preferred by email) to the complainant which will be signed by the owner.
  3. The response will include:
  • An explanation of how the complaint has been considered
  • Honest explanations based on facts
  • The conclusion reached in relation to the complaint including any remedial action that the organisation considers to be appropriate
  • Confirmation that the organisation is satisfied any action required as a result of the complaint has been or will be actioned
  1. The formal written response can be in the form of minutes from a meeting held with the complainant(s) where a response was provided.

Support for Staff

  1. All statements, letters, phone calls and actions taken in an investigation must be documented and kept in a complaint file.
  2. Members of staff named in the complaint, either personally or by role, should be informed of the complaint. Staff should be fully supported by the owner and consulted during the investigation.  The investigation should be full, fair and timely and should not apportion blame.
  3. The organisation style and culture within Striding Edge will promote positive attitudes towards dealing with complaints.

Complaints Meetings

  1. Should a complainant wish to meet with the owner to discuss the contents of their complaint, this will be arranged. Complainants may also wish to meet with representatives of Striding Edge to discuss their concerns as part of the investigation process or as their method of response.  If so, this will be discussed when the complaint plan is drafted at the beginning of the process.
  2. All meetings will be minuted, and a copy of those minutes sent to all those involved to confirm accuracy before the document is recorded in the complaints file.

Improving our Services

  1. Following the conclusion of a complaint investigation, if appropriate, all actions will be clearly documented with an action plan, acted upon and monitored. If an action has been identified during the complaints investigation the owner will note the details of the action to be taken.
  2. The owner will ensure that an action plan is completed with details of what action will be taken and when this will be completed. This action plan should be completed at the same time as the complaint response and where appropriate receive further updates at an appropriate future time.
  3. In order to improve the complaint service, following completion of a complaint an evaluation form will be sent to every complainant requesting feedback on the complaints process and their outcomes.

Equality, Diversity & Human Rights Impact Assessment

  1. Striding Edge recognises and values all individuals and welcomes feedback on all issues.
  2. The owner will put in place a procedure to ensure that the diversity of its complainants is monitored and actions taken to improve any discrepancies or discrimination. (Appendix 4).

Dissemination & Implementation

  1. Striding Edge will ensure that all staff are aware of the complaints policy and procedure and will be aware of how to access it.

Monitoring Compliance

  1. Striding Edge will monitor the operation and effectiveness of the complaints process as well as how information about complaints is being used to improve services and delivery of care across the organisation and partner organisations. The complaints service will provide a system for:
  • The dissemination of learning from complaints across the organisation and partner organisations
  • The use of the complaints procedure as a measure of performance and means of quality control
  • Information derived from complaints to contribute to practice development, commissioning and service planning

Standards & Key Performance Indicators

  1. This policy must be reviewed at least every three years or when there are significant changes in the policy.
  2. This policy will be monitored for effectiveness by self-assessment against any external accreditation that is applicable and may be subject to review by internal audit.

References & Bibliography

  • Freedom of Information Act (2000) available at ico.org.uk
  • Data Protection Act 2018
  • The General Data Protection Regulation

 

 

Appendix 1 – Consent Form

CONSENT FORM

 

Name:

  

…………………………………………………………………………………….

 
 

Address:

  

…………………………………………………………………………………….

 

…………………………………………………………………………………….

 

…………………………………………………………………………………….
 

Daytime contact number:

 

  

…………………………………………………………………………………….

 

 

 

I hereby give consent to        ……………………………………………………………………………………

 

 

  • To investigate our/my issues with all parties concerned.  NB: this may mean sharing your comments with those parties involved in your complaint or concern
 

Signed:

  

…………………………………………………………………………………….

 
 

 

 (Patient/Next of Kin/Representative)
 

Date:

  

…………………………………………………………………………………….

 
 

Return to:

 

  

Striding Edge (Consultancy) Ltd

The Lodge, Old Hutton, Kendal, Cumbria LA8 0NH