Feedback Form

FEEDBACK

The Complaints Policy of the Queensland Alliance and a Mechanism for Positive Feedback:

1. Background

Complaints provide one form of feedback to Queensland Alliance for Mental Health that assists us to identify mistakes or improve our services to members. Positive feedback reinforces the need for particular activities. Queensland Alliance for Mental Health welcomes feedback from member organisations and others and uses information from complaints in our planning and evaluation systems. This complaints mechanism complies with Australian Standards.  Queensland Alliance for Mental Health has limited resources and so our feedback mechanisms are simple, inexpensive and easy to use.

2. How to Complain – Steps in the Process

STEP ONE – Contact Staff at  Queensland Alliance for Mental Health (07) 3252 9411

If you are not happy with Queensland Alliance actions, contact (07) 3252 9411. If the phone is not attended, we will get back to you within three working days if you leave your name and phone number. You can also provide feedback via email, but again we ask for your name and phone number. If we can resolve the issue quickly on the phone, we will do so, and simply record your name, the concern and the resolution. If the feedback is positive, we will also record this.

If we cannot easily resolve your complaint, a more formal process will occur.

STEP TWO – Formal Complaint Lodged

You will need to put your complaint in writing and send this to us. We do not accept anonymous complaints.   Queensland Alliance for Mental Health  Feedback Form sets out the information we require from you to resolve your concern. If you need assistance to complete the form, staff at the Alliance can assist you.

The Alliance will respond to a formal complaint within ten working days, although if the complaint is complex and requires significant investigation, we may write to you and advise that additional time is required. If the complaint is of a serious nature every effort will be made to respond more quickly.

STEP THREE – Investigation

The Alliance will then investigate the complaint, make reference to organisational policy and procedures, and gather any information that relates to the complaint within resources. If other people are involved in the complaint, these people will be advised of the complaint and they may need to be interviewed.

STEP FOUR – Resolving the Complaint

The Alliance will negotiate with the complainant on an acceptable resolution to the issue. How this occurs will depend on the nature of the complaint. The person who made the complaint will be encouraged to bring someone with them to this negotiation. If the complaint involves staff, a member of the State Council may facilitate the negotiation, or if the complaint is of a very serious nature an independent person may be engaged to resolve the complaint.

STEP FIVE – Report, Record and Take Action

The Alliance will document the resolution, particularly any action the Alliance has committed to undertake as a result of the complaint. Complaints often identify a lack of policy or poor process within an organisation that requires further action. Information from the complaints system will be used in organisational evaluation and planning.

The Alliance will report on all complaints in the Annual Report.