Action for Family Carers aims to provide a high-quality service to Carers and those they care for. Our services include the provision of information and support to Carers who are looking after an ill or disabled person of any age and we try to provide a service that meets each individual’s need.
The office hours are 9.00 a.m. – 04.30 p.m. Monday to Friday. Carers are welcome to phone or call in to find out what help is available, where to go and how to obtain it. A full description of our current services is also on our website.
Why do we need a complaints procedure?
Action for Family Carers is keen to provide the best possible service and to respond quickly and efficiently to Carers’ needs within the limitations of its resources. In doing so we do our best to take into account the views and wishes of those who seek our services. We welcome every opportunity to monitor and improve our services and having a Complaints Procedure is one way of doing this.
Who can complain?
The procedure is available to any user of the services Action for Family Carers provides; Carers or people being cared for. Where an individual service user gives written permission, a complaint may be taken up on their behalf by another named person.
What you can do if you wish to complain
Informal Stage
Please raise your complaint directly with the person concerned who will listen carefully to what you have to say. In their absence please ask to speak to the relevant Service Manager. We hope that the vast majority of queries, concerns or complaints can be sorted out straight away.
Formal Stage 1
At this stage, you can make a complaint in writing, including by email, to the office address below. If you wish you may use the assistance of a friend or relative in doing this, or you may prefer a member of staff to write it down for you in a way which is acceptable to you – please ask for assistance. If your complaint concerns the Chief Executive Officer please address a letter marked ‘Personal & Confidential’ to The Chair of the Board of Trustees at the address below and your complaint will be dealt with as per the procedure from Stage 3 below.
Your complaint will be acknowledged within 5 working days and considered by the relevant Service Manager who will respond to you at the earliest possible opportunity after any necessary investigations have taken place.
What happens next?
Formal Stage 2
If you feel the matter has not been satisfactorily resolved by the Service Manager, or if your complaint involves the Service Manager and you feel unable to discuss it with him/her, you may write or request an appointment to see the Chief Executive Officer. Any such correspondence should be marked ‘Personal and Confidential’. It will be forwarded to the Chief Executive unopened, who will acknowledge it within 5 working days and respond within 10 working days. (In the event of the Chief Executive being absent through holiday or illness the correspondence will be forwarded to a nominated member of the Board of Trustees).
Your complaint will be dealt with in the strictest confidence However if your complaint concerns a member of staff the person concerned will normally be informed unless you specifically request otherwise, although this may limit the extent of further investigation.
What if I am still not satisfied?
Formal Stage 3
You can ask the Chief Executive for your complaint to be considered again by a Trustee Board member. The Board Member will acknowledge your request within 5 working days and will respond to your complaint within a further 10 working days.
Formal Stage 4
You can ask the Chief Executive for your complaint to be considered again by an Appeals Panel, involving 3 Board Members not previously involved in the matter. The Appeals Panel will normally meet within 20 working days of your request.
You will be notified in writing about the time and place of the meeting at least 10 working days beforehand, so you may attend accompanied by a friend or relative if you so wish. Alternatively, you may wish your friend or relative to attend and speak for you if you feel unable to do so.
The Appeals Panel will let you and the Trustee Board know its recommendations, and the reasons for them, within 10 working days. The Trustee Board will then seriously consider the recommendation and let you know their decision within 20 working days.
This will be the final stage in the Complaints Procedure but this does not affect your right to contact the relevant statutory authorities.
Contact Details
Action for Family Carers
Brickhouse Farm Community Centre, Poulton Close, Maldon, Essex, CM9 6NG
Telephone: 01621 851640
Email: info@affc.org.uk
Registered Charity number: 1127164
Note: This procedure can be made available in other languages and in other formats on request.