1. PURPOSE
This document outlines Instant Supply’s policy for management and resolution of Client Complaints.
2. SCOPE
This policy covers all client complaints as they relate to the supports and services provided by Instant Supply.
This policy should be read in conjunction with the following Instant Supply documents:
- Client Incident Management Policy
- Client Incident Reporting Procedures
- Complaint Procedure and Guidelines
3. POLICY
Instant Supply supports the rights of clients, their families, carers, guardians or advocates to have a say in how support and services provided y Instant Supply are designed and delivered. Instant supply encourages all clients and stakeholders to exercise their right of choice and control. This includes the right to raise concerns or to complain about their supports and service provision.
To ensure clients and stakeholders can raise concerns and complaints about supports and service provision, Instant Supply has established a Complaints Management System.
Instant Supply will ensure that it maintains a robust Complaints Management System aimed at supporting timely and effective notification, management and resolution of client concerns and complaints about Instant Supply services.
Instant Supply will do this by ensuring the Complaints system:
- Is accessible to all Instant Supply clients in a manner and form most appropriate for them
- Is simple to understand and navigate and enables complaints to be lodged anonymously.
- Clients are provided with information on how to make a complaint directly to Instant Supply and to the NDIS Commission.
- Supports clients to understand their rights and what they should expect from Instant Supply as part of the Complaints Management process.
- Supports responses to concerns or complaints in a timely manner, underpinned by confidentially, dignity and respect. Based on the principles of natural justice and procedural fairness with responses provided in a manner and format best suited to the client.
- Is focused on resolving complains in a timely, appropriate and effective manner with active involvement of the client in the resolution, including escalation as part of the client Q?
- Has effective recording, reporting and monitoring processes in place and that individual and systemic issues are managed and monitoried to drive continuous improvement of services.
- Meets the requirement of the NDIS Quality & Safeguarding Framework, NDIS Practice Standards and other relevant Government legislation.
- Is overviewed by a designated Complaints Manager.
- Is reviewed annually, as part of Risk and Compliance internal auditing processes, to ensure its effectiveness.
Instant Supply is open to receiving feedback, compliments and complaints and views participant feedback an effective way to improve the quality of services provided to clients.
Instant Supply staff will acknowledge feedback by listening, showing empathy, checking whether the client wants a support person/advocate , asking the client what a good outcome would look like to them and keeping the client (or their nominated representative) involved and informed.
Instant Supply will provide statistical and other information about complaints to the
Commissioners, on request. All documentation relating to complaints will be held for a period of seven years from the date the record is made.
- DEFINITIONS
Client – A person with disability, receiving support from Instant Supply. This can include employees, supported students, students on work experience or transition placements, residents, members and people receiving support from Instant through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
Advocate – An advocate is a person who, with explicit authority, formally represents another’s interest. However, an informal advocate can be a friend, family member or other person chosen by the client to support them. Advocates assist clients to have a say about issues, can speak on their behalf, can represent a clients’ wishes or work with them to understand processes.
Complaint – Is an expression of dissatisfaction about the supports or services they are receiving.
NDIS commission – Is an independent agency established to improve the quality and safety of NDIS supports and services or support the provision of such services, whether they be paid or unpaid workers, including volunteers, relief staff or labour hire workers and mainstream student placements.
Staff – For the purposes of this policy, staff are defined as any persons engaged by Instant Supply to provide funded services or support the provision of such services, whether they are paid or unpaid workers, including volunteers, relief staff or labour hire workers and mainstream student placements.
- ASSOCIATED DOCUMENTS
Instant Supply Policies, procedures and related documents including Complaint Form, Code of Conduct (including NDIS code of Conduct). Client Choice and Advocacy.
- REFERENCES
National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Act 2013
NDIS (Provider Registration and Practice Standards) Rules 2018
NDIS (Quality Indicators) Guidelines 2018
NDIS (Complaints Management and Resolution) Rules 2018
NDIS Effective Complaints Handling Guidelines for NDIS providers
NDIS (Code of Conduct) Rules 2018
NDIS (Code of Conduct) Rules – Explanatory Statement
Disability Services Act 1992
