Veterans Supporting Veterans
Complaints and Compliments
Introduction
The Veteran Community Network (VCN) aims to provide its members and service users with the best possible service. We are committed to continually improving our services through your feedback whether this is a compliment or complaint. Compliments let us know we are doing things right; complaints mean that we may need to learn lessons and change our current practice. So, we recognise that from time to time there may be occasions when users of our services feel that the quality or level of service provided falls short of what they could reasonably expect.
Your continued goodwill is greatly valued by us and we would expect to resolve any day to day difficulties or complaints informally and as quickly as possible. In the first instance we would encourage you to raise any feedback you may have about the service you have received directly with the member of staff concerned or with the Service Director. Many issues can be addressed and resolved at this more informal stage.
If you do not feel the matter has been resolved at this informal stage, then you can make a formal complaint. The more formal procedure outlined below is intended for use by members and other users of our services, where informal communication has not resolved the problem.
Complaints should be made within 12 months of the date of the event that you’re complaining about or as soon as the matter first came to your attention.
process
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO
The complaint should be made either in person, or by telephone, letter or email to the Service Director who will acknowledge, in writing within five working days, the receipt of any complaint. If the complaint is about the Service Director the complaint will be passed on in the first incidence to one of the Trustees who is independent to the Service Director. Please provide as much detail as you can about what has happened, when did this happen, who was involved and what resolution are you looking for as an outcome to your complaint.
WHAT VCN WILL DO
The Service Director will investigate the circumstances leading to the complaint and will communicate the results of the investigation to the complainant within a reasonable time – normally within 20 working days of the complaint being received. If the complaint is found to be justified, the Service Director will agree any necessary further action with the complainant.
If you would like to give us compliment or make a formal complaint, in the first instance please contact:
Dr Gillian Le Page
Service Director
Veterans Community Network
Email: gill@vcn.org.uk
The complainant will have the right – if dissatisfied with the results of the enquiry – to put their case, in writing, to an appeal panel of two Trustee Board members who have not been involved in the investigation and are not connected to the Service Director.
If the appeal is found to be justified, the appeal panel will agree any necessary further action with the complainant.
The Service Director will keep the Trustee Board informed of the number and nature of complaints, and the outcomes. S/he will report to the Board about Complaints at each Trustee meeting.
All service users/beneficiaries will be made aware of VCN’s Compliments & Complaints Policy via our Website and our Consent Form.