Woodbridge Riverside Trust – Complaints Procedure
- Introduction
Woodbridge Riverside Trust (WRT) always aims to provide a high standard of care in all the facilities and services we offer. Our users’ views are important to us in helping to ensure that what we provide and the manner we do it, consistently meets people’s needs. If you are unhappy with any of our services it is important that you let us know.
If a complaint alerts us to possible abuse or neglect we will follow WRT Safeguarding Procedures.
- Making a suggestion
Often people feel more comfortable about suggesting improvements rather than complaining formally. Anyone receiving our services, or using our facilities and their friends/ family, may make a suggestion
- Making a complaint
We take all complaints seriously and aim to handle them quickly, effectively and in a fair and honest way. We use any information or ideas that come from investigating and resolving complaints to help us improve the services we provide. We treat all complaints in confidence.
WRT assures all its users and visitors and their families that it will not withdraw or reduce services because someone makes a complaint in good faith.
- Who can complain
Anyone affected by the way WRT functions or operates can make a complaint.
A representative may complain for the affected person if they cannot make a complaint themselves, and have given consent for the representative to act on their behalf. If you are not happy about making a complaint yourself and you do not know someone who can talk or write to us on your behalf, we will be happy to find someone from an independent organisation to act as an advocate for you.
Where someone complains orally we will make a written record and provide a copy of it within 3 working days,
- How you can make a complaint
You can complain:
- in person
- by telephone
- through a member of the Board of Directors
- through an advocate or representative
- by letter
- by email
We will provide as far as is reasonably practical:
- any help you need to understand the complaints procedure; or
- advice on where you may get that help.
- Anonymous complaints
We deal with anonymous complaints under the same procedure; however it is better if you can provide contact details so we can tell you the outcome of our investigation.
- Responsibility
The Chair of Directors has overall responsibility for dealing with all complaints made about our service.
- How we handle complaints
Once we receive a complaint, we will acknowledge it within 3 working days and give you the name and contact details of the person investigating it. This may be the Chair of Directors or one of the management team. That person will have enough seniority and experience to deal with the issues raised by the complaint.
We will keep you informed about the progress of the investigation. We aim to have all complaints finished within 28 working days unless we agree a different time scale with you.
When we have finished investigating, we will arrange to meet with you to discuss the outcome, and write to you with:
- details of the findings;
- any action we have taken; and
- our proposals to resolve your complaint.
- Time limits
You should complain as soon as you can after the date on which the event occurred or came to your notice. If you complain more than twelve months later, we may not be able to investigate properly. But we shall also consider whether you had good reason for not making the complaint sooner and whether, despite the delay, it is still possible to investigate the complaint effectively and fairly.
- Further steps
At any stage during the process, if you are not happy with the way the service is dealing with your complaint you can contact the Chair of Directors at:
chair@woodbridgeriversidetrust.org or by writing to
The Chair
Woodbridge Riverside Trust,
The Longshed,
Tidemill Way,
Woodbridge,
IP12 1FP
Once we have dealt with your complaint, if you are not happy with the outcome you can refer your complaint to the the Charities Commission. Details of the procedure for this can be found here: