Governance Policy
Date: Aug 2024
Introduction
Vision Australia values all feedback, including complaints as a powerful means of feedback from its clients and members of the community. We are committed to being open and responsive to all feedback.
About this policy
The purpose of this policy is to outline how Vision Australia manages and responds to complaints, suggestions for improvement and compliments.
To whom does this policy apply
The Board and all levels of management and workforce at Vision Australia have a responsibility to understand this policy and actively observe the guiding principles.
Guiding principles
- All feedback and complaints will be handled respectfully, confidentially, promptly, and with no adverse consequences for the complainant.
- Vision Australia will ensure all complaints are investigated fully as part of our commitment to accountability, continuous improvement and transparency.
- Our interactions with complainants will be based around actively listening, empathising, and acknowledging when our services were not the best they could have been.
- Feedback and complaints will be monitored for all opportunities to improve our services.
- An open disclosure process is used in resolving complaints on the occurrence that things go wrong.
- The person providing the feedback determines how that feedback is categorised i.e. whether it is a complaint, suggestion for improvement or a compliment and we will respond to the feedback accordingly.
Policy
- Complaints refer to issues of a negative nature brought to the attention of Vision Australia by clients and members of the community in order to bring about some kind of change or resolution.
- Suggestions for improvement differ from complaints as they specify possible changes for Vision Australia but do not involve an issue of a negative nature. It is always the choice of the person providing the feedback which category the feedback fits into.
- Compliments are feedback that is positive and is usually regarding an individual, service or product provided by Vision Australia, these matters also do not require action or resolution.
- Vision Australia provides multiple channels (phone, mail, email or website form) for people to submit complaints and feedback. This ensures all people who wish to provide feedback are able to do so using a method they feel most comfortable.
- Vision Australia ensures the channels for feedback and the process is clear and easy to understand. Vision Australia ensures all clients are aware of their right to complain and their right to have their complaint dealt with through a formal complaint resolution process.
- Vision Australia addresses all complaints in a confidential manner. Only the people directly involved in making, investigating or resolving a complaint have access to this information. De-identified information may be provided as part of reporting requirements set either by Vision Australia or as part of external contracts.
- Vision Australia ensures all parties have the right to have a support person or advocate present to assist or represent them during the formal complaint’s procedure. Formal complaints can be written or verbal. If verbal, the assisting staff member will document the complaint. Access to interpreters is available if required.
- Vision Australia ensures any complaint is free of repercussions for the complainant. Vision Australia takes all necessary steps to ensure that there are no adverse consequences for anyone who makes a complaint.
- Where there is a possibility of conflict of interest, Vision Australia will ensure the investigation and management of complaints is conducted by a neutral party. Where this is not practicable Vision Australia may employ a third-party investigator.
- Vision Australia communicates with all relevant parties about the progress of the resolution of a complaint.
- No detailed information regarding a complaint, such as the nature of the complaint or any staff members involved, will be kept on an individual’s client or staff file. All detailed information will be kept in the separate Complaints Register.
- Information regarding complaints is stored according to all relevant record keeping regulations.
- Vision Australia ensures all clients are informed of the existence of this policy and its related procedures at the commencement of receiving services. A copy of this policy and the relevant procedure must be made available to clients in their preferred format as requested.
- Vision Australia recognises the right of individuals to approach an external agency if the formal complaints procedure has not resolved the issue to their satisfaction. Information on external complaints agencies is provided to clients in the Client Information Booklet.
Reporting
- De-identified information on complaints is regularly reported to both the Board, the Leadership Team and to Service Excellence to inform them of trends and opportunities for improvement.
- In the case of high and extreme risk complaints information is reported to the CEO to ensure sound governance. See below for more information about risk management.
Formal and Informal complaints
All complaints and feedback whether they are formal or informal should be logged on the central complaints system that is managed by the compliance team. This ensures that any trends or themes can be picked up and addressed in a timely manner.
Formal complaints refer to; any issue of a negative nature, which is brought to the attention of Vision Australia, in order to bring about a change or resolution, where:
- A satisfactory resolution cannot be reached informally between the client and staff involved at the point of service and so requires escalation.
- The issue is submitted through the feedback and complaints channel.
Each formal complaint is managed by an assigned responsible manager. Complainants are informed about the progress of their complaint. Formal complaints follow a formal complaints process. This process consists of:
- Acknowledgement
- Investigation
- Resolution
- Review
Informal complaints are any issue of a negative nature which is brought to the notice of Vision Australia in order to bring about a change or resolution which can be successfully resolved informally between the client and staff involved at the point of service. It is still necessary for all informal complaints to be forwarded to the complaints department via the appropriate feedback channel for reporting purposes.
The central management of all complaints is necessary to:
- Ensure they are assessed for risk and escalated when necessary.
- Ensure all formal complaints can be analysed to provide continuous improvement opportunities to improve Vision Australia’s service.
- Provide information necessary to meet third party service verification under the relevant quality standards for disability and aged care.
- Identify any emerging trends.
Suggestions for improvement
Vision Australia values suggestions for improvement. These suggestions are provided to the responsible manager and entered on our feedback register. This form of feedback still requires the responsible manager to follow the same process as formal complaints. This process consisting of:
- Acknowledgment
- Investigation
- Resolution
- Review
Compliments
Compliments received by Vision Australia will be passed along to the relevant staff member or department and entered on the feedback register.
Risk management
All complaints are assessed for risk to ensure the safety and wellbeing of; clients, complainants, the community, and that Vision Australia is complying with all legislative requirements. All complaints are evaluated to determine if the reported issue suggests serious implications, such as a critical incident, abuse, bullying or harassment, incidents involving children, or other serious misconduct. Complaints are monitored for risk across their lifespan and may be reassessed as more information is discovered through the course of a complaint investigation.
The risk assessment matrix and risk levels are defined in the complaint’s risk documentation (Appendix A).
Definitions
Informal complaint
Any issue of a negative nature which is brought to the attention of Vision Australia in order to bring about a change or resolution which can be successfully resolved informally between the client and staff involved at the point of service.
Formal complaint
Formal complaints refer to any issue of a negative nature which is brought to the attention of Vision Australia in order to bring about a change or resolution where:
- A satisfactory resolution cannot be reached informally between the client and staff involved at the point of service and so requires escalation.
- The issue is submitted through a formal complaint and feedback channel
Suggestion for Improvement
A suggestion for improvement refers to an issue brought to the attention of Vision Australia to specify possible changes for Vision Australia but do not involve an issue of a negative nature.
Compliments
A compliment is a message brought to the attention of Vision Australia which praises some element of Vision Australia, such as staff or services.
Open Disclosure - Open disclosure refers to the practice of communicating with a consumer when things go wrong, addressing any immediate needs or concerns and providing support, apologising and explaining the steps the provider has taken to prevent it happening again
Leadership Team
Vision Australia staff at a management level who are generally the head of a division and are responsible for the facilitation, monitoring, coordination and communication to Vision Australia staff within their area.
Vision Australia
Vision Australia, its controlled entities, any outsourced operations and contractors.
Client
An adult, or parent/guardian of a child, who is blind, vision impaired, deafblind or has a print disability and who is currently receiving services or has received services from Vision Australia
Service Excellence – a department within Vision Australia that provides support to service delivery staff around clinical governance and ensuring excellence.
Member of the community
Any person who is not a client and who is representing themselves, a community Organisation or company. Member of the community includes volunteers and donors.
Workforce
All employees, volunteers and unpaid staff, contractors / sub-contractors and any of their employees whilst engaged in work for Vision Australia, as well as consultants or consultants’ employees whilst engaged by Vision Australia and agents whilst acting on behalf of Vision Australia.
External Complaints Agency
An organisation which provides complaints services to a particular group. These agencies are often created as part of or relate to disability funding agreements.
Compliance Team
The Compliance Team is the group of staff working for the Chief Practitioner at Vision Australia.
Cross Reference
Complaints and Suggestion for Improvement Procedure.
Document control
Effective date: August 2024
Prepared by: Compliance team
Authorised by: Leadership Team
Document identifier: Vision Australia - Complaints and Suggestions for Improvement Policy
Next review: August 2026