Our policy and procedure on complaints management has been developed in accordance with the criteria and framework described in the following sources:

Australian Council for Safety and Quality in Health Care. Better Practice Guidelines for Complaints Management for Health Care Services, July 2004.

International Standard. ISO 10002:2004(E). Quality management – Customer satisfaction – Guidelines for complaints handling in organizations, First edition, July 2004.

MP Safety Management is committed to providing health services that are accessible, responsive to needs, safe and cost-effective. In doing so, we aim to control risks to clients, customers and the broader community.

Our approach to health service delivery places the needs and expectations of our clients and customers at the centre – we harness their experiences to evaluate our services and to drive service improvements. Complaints are, therefore, an essential source of information about the quality of our services.

MP Safety Management is committed to the efficient and effective management of complaints for the purposes of:

• Improving our understanding of, and responses to, consumer needs and expectations;
• Managing risks to consumer safety, health, productivity and economic security;
• Controlling the risk of disputation; and
• Building and maintaining trust and consumer confidence in our services.

In upholding our commitment, we have a procedure that makes it easy for consumers to raise concerns about our services, and to provide suggestions for improvement.

We also actively seek consumer feedback to inform improvements in service delivery.

Melanie Parker-Doney

B.App.Sc.OT
Grad. Dip. Ergonomics
Associate Fellow-Personal Injury Education Foundation
Workplace Occupational Therapist
Comcare ID No. 1256

25/08/2020

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
http://www.mpsm.com.au/

0407 952 731

Complaints Management Procedure

What is a complaint?

A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction or concern with an aspect of our service.

Who is responsible for managing the complaints management system?

The Managing Director of MP Safety Management is responsible for managing all aspects of the complaints management system.

Who is responsible for implementing the complaints management system?

All MP Safety Management personnel are responsible for meeting consumer needs and assuring service quality. That responsibility extends to identifying and responding to complaints.

Who can make a complaint?

A complaint may be made by:

1. the person or agency receiving the service,
2. the authorised representative of that person or agency, or
3. another person or agency that may be affected by the service.

Complaints can also be made anonymously.

How do we inform consumers about the process for making a complaint?

Our complaints management policy and procedure is publicly available in both hard copy and on the internet.

At the commencement of services, clients and customers are made aware of our policy and procedure for managing complaints.

Complaints Management – Key Elements

1. Identifying Complaints

Expressions of dissatisfaction or concern about our services may be evident in the:

• Views raised at the point of service;
• Lodgement of formal verbal or written complaints; and
• Views expressed through client and customer surveys.Point of service response

2. Point of service response

In the interest of preventing conflict or disputes and maintaining the continuum of care, MP Safety Management personnel are required to respond to complaints at the point of service. This involves:

1. acknowledging the nature of the complaint;
2. verifying concerns and expectations with the people involved;
3. gaining participation of the person(s) concerned in problem solving and decision making;
4. agreeing on the action to be taken to resolve the complaint;
5. setting target times in which to complete the agreed action; and
6. keeping case records that describe all of the above.

Complaints that cannot be resolved at the point of service must be referred to the Managing Director.

Complaints that seriously or imminently threaten the safety and/or continuity of service delivery to a given client or customer must be referred to the Managing Director.

3. Internal resolution

a. Acknowledgement of complaint within one working day

Complaints that are not resolved at the point of service or that are lodged formally or by survey are acknowledged with one working day hours of identification.

The Managing Director acknowledges the complaint verbally and then in writing. The acknowledgement describes (i) the nature of the complaint received, and (ii) the complaints management process and what to expect.

b. Gather information from key people

First, the Managing Director consults with the complainant to:

1. explain the Privacy Policy and the nature of information that is required in order to manage the complaint;
2. explain the complaints management process and the action required to make an accurate assessment of the complaint, including timeframes for that action;
3. gather information about the nature of the complaint;
4. establish the person(s) who are central to the complaint;
5. verify the complainant’s concerns and expectations;
6. agree on suitable methods of communication to be used during the complaints management process.

Second, the Managing Director consults with the health professional who was/is responsible for providing the service concerned to:

1. explain/verify the nature of the complaint;
2. convey the complainant’s concerns and expectations;
3. gather information related to the complaint;
4. verify the person(s) who are central to the complaint;
5. review the case file records;
6. establish the concerns and expectations of the health professional; and
7. determine the action to be taken in order resolve the complaint, including timeframes for that action.

Third, the Managing Director will consult with any other person or agency that is central to the dispute to:

1. explain/verify the nature of the complaint;
2. explain the Privacy Policy and the nature of information that is required in order to manage the complaint;
3. explain the complaints management process and the action required to make an accurate assessment of the complaint, including timeframes for that action;
4. gather information about the nature of the complaint; and
5. agree on suitable methods of communication to be used during the complaints management process.

c. Establish resolution Pathway

The Managing Director consults with the complainant to agree on the action to be taken to resolve the dispute.  Where necessary, the Managing director will convene a meeting between the complainant, the health professional delivering the service, and any other key person or agency to negotiate a resolution.

The Managing Director documents the agreed action plan, including the background to the complaint, agreed timeframes for action, review points and communication/feedback methods.

The options available in the event that intended outcomes are not achieved and/or dissatisfaction persists are also explained and documented. Those options include:

• Review of the resolution pathway in consultation with the persons concerned and renegotiation of action to resolve the complaint; and/or
• External resolution
  
  

d. Resolution Outcomes

The Managing Director provides each party with a copy of the agreed action plan.

In cases where the complaint has implications for service delivery broadly, the Managing Director will inform all MP Safety Management personnel of the factors contributing to the complaint and the agreed action. A collective response to controlling the risks associated with the complaint will be developed in the next scheduled team meeting.

e. Complaints management records

All personal and health information is collected and stored in accordance with the MP Safety Management Privacy Policy.

The Managing Director establishes and maintains a record of the complaint on the MP Safety Management complaints database.

Information recorded includes a description of:

1. The complainant’s details;
2. The nature of the complaint;
3. When, where and with whom consultations were held, and details of information gathered;
4. Any case records reviewed;
5. Assessments and decisions made;
6. The reasoning behind those assessments/decisions;
7. Agreed actions and timeframes;
8. Action taken and the outcome of that action.

4. External resolution

Complaints that cannot be resolved internally may be referred to an external body, agency or authority for resolution.

5. Continuous improvement

The MP Safety Management complaints database provides a credible source of information about service quality that assists us with:

• Managing individual and team performance;
• Enhancing clinical governance; and
• Planning and implementing system and service improvements.