Principles for implementing duty of care in health, social care Essay

Describe how to respond to complaints Responding to complaints, whether made by a parent or a staff colleague, you should always keep professional and listen to what the person has to say. You should keep calm and by being respectful and apologising when necessary which helps to diffuse potential conflict. Complaints need to be resolved as quickly as possible and constructively to avoid creating a bad atmosphere for all those involved. When responding to a complaint, it is important to listen to the other person’s point of view. You should avoid making personal comments and focus on the facts throughout. Always apologise if you are wrong and explain how you will resolve the situation. Explain the main points of agreed procedures for handing complaints If a member of staff or a parent wishes to make a complaint they should discuss their complaint with the setting leader first where most complaints can be resolved quickly. If the parent or member of staff is not happy with the outcome they should then put their complaint in writing to the setting leader who can then pass the details onto the owner or chairperson of a committee run setting. The setting will look into the complaint and once they have come to a conclusion the setting leader can arrange a meeting with the person who made the complaint to discuss the outcome. If the person is still not happy with the outcome they can ask for a further meeting with the setting leader and the owner or chairperson where they can also invite a representative. They can then all meet up to try and come to a conclusion. Everything at this meeting will be noted and recorded. If the complaint can still not be resolved at this meeting then a further meeting can be made where an external mediator is invited. The external mediator will then investigate the complaint and then arrange a meeting for all parties to settle the complaint. A record of the meeting will be made which will discuss any decisions that have been made. Everyone that attends the meeting will need to sign the record and will get a copy of all the notes. This signed record should conclude the complaint. Parents are entitled to contact Ofsted throughout any stage of the complaints procedure. The telephone number of Ofsted will be on the settings complaints procedure.