• Asist tries hard to make sure that everyone using our advocacy service gets a good service that lives up to what we say we will do in all our policies and procedures. 

• Occasionally, however, situations may arise when people think we are not performing as we say we do and feel they have a legitimate complaint.

• This policy will tell you what you need to do if you want to complain about Asist or anyone who works for Asist or is associated with us.  If you find this policy difficult you can ask the managers of Asist to take you through it or there is an accessible version which is available from Asist at Winton House.

• Although complaints procedures have to work to rules we have tried to make this as straightforward as possible so that everyone can use it if they feel the need.

• Anyone who makes a complaint about Asist can be represented by whomever they choose.

• If you feel you wish to make a complaint but feel that you need support Asist will try to arrange for you to have the support of an advocate who does not work for Asist.

• All complaints are treated confidentially.  This means that we will only involve the people who are directly involved in your complaint.

• Initially we will try to sort out problems in an informal way.  We will only move onto a more formal approach if we cannot solve your concerns informally.

• Asist will accept a complaint made by someone on behalf of a client of Asist when that person does not have the capacity to complain by themselves.

• If you want to know more about this policy or just want to talk about it you should contact the managers at Winton House.

• A person being supported by an Asist advocate
• A person representing someone who is being supported by an Asist advocate but who does not have the capacity to make a complaint by themselves
• A person who represents agencies working with Asist
• Carers of people being supported by an Asist advocate

You can make a complaint about:

• An advocate – either paid or volunteer
• The managers of Asist
• The members of the Executive of Asist
• Anyone else working for Asist
• Others directly associated with and representing Asist

  Anything where you feel:

• we have got it wrong
• we have given you a poor service
• we have not stuck to our policies or procedures

  You can let us know that you have an issue with Asist:

• In writing – a letter, email, fax
• Verbally – over the phone or in person

A written record is kept at Asist about all complaints made.  So even if you tell us verbally we will make a note of the details of the conversation.  Once the formal procedure has been started a full written record will be kept.  

At this stage we will try to ascertain if you need help in making the complaint and what we can do to help you in this respect.

 All complaints should go to the managers of Asist.  If you are complaining about the manager/s you should contact the Chair of the Executive.  Throughout the description below we refer to “the manager”.  When you complain about the manager/s just substitute “The Chair”.  Their contact details are:

Stage 1 - Informal:     The manager will talk or write to you about the complaint and see if there is a simple solution that meets your needs without a formal investigation taking place.  This may involve the manager talking to other people to gather information.  In normal circumstances this process should take less than 14 days to complete.  If you are not satisfied with the results of this stage you can go on to Stage 2.  You may, if you wish, go straight to the formal stage (Stage 2) without using Stage 1.

Stage 2 - Formal:      This stage is very much like Stage 1 but this time the manager will undertake an exhaustive formal investigation to ascertain all the facts.  You will probably meet with the manager to ensure that we have all the details of the case.  This process will usually take less than 28 days.  If you are not satisfied with the results of this stage you can go on to Stage 3.  You must have gone through Stage 2 in order to go to Stage 3.

Stage 3 - Appeal Tribunal:  Here you will have your complaint formally considered by a panel made up of:
     A member of the Asist Executive not involved with the complaint
     A representative from another independent advocacy group
     A representative from another voluntary sector group
The panel will meet at a location and time that best suits everyone concerned.  Although, even at this stage, the meeting will be conducted informally, it is necessary to conduct the meeting within a formal structure.  The structure is described in the appendix to this policy.

• This complaints procedure does not stop you from making a complaint about us directly to the people who fund us.  In most cases this is either the Social Services or Health Department in which you live.  If you would want to do this we can tell you who to contact.

• You will not be discriminated against if you make a complaint about Asist.

• We will not withdraw our service just because you make a complaint about Asist.

• If by using this complaints procedure we are found to be in the wrong we will apologise and try our best to put things right for you and for other users of our service.