Consumer Complaints Management Policy and Procedure

Disability Services Commission
Part 2: Consumer Complaints Procedure
2011
1. Introduction
The Disability Services Commission is committed to the protection of rights of people with
disability and the promotion of quality services.
The Commission welcomes feedback from people with disability, their families, carers and/or
advocates about any concerns they may have. Feedback enables us to correct any problems
with our service, improve our relationship with our consumers and improve the overall quality of
our services.
The Commission encourages staff members providing direct client services to actively resolve
any consumer concerns they encounter in the first instance. This approach reduces the need for
people with disability, their families, carers and/or advocates to lodge a formal complaint.
Staff need to be aware that, for people from Aboriginal and CaLD backgrounds, cultural and
language factors may affect how comfortable they feel to participate in a complaints process.
Therefore additional culturally appropriate support may be required.
The procedures outlined below are to assist staff to respond promptly, effectively and consistently
to feedback received from people with disability, their families, carers and/or advocates.
2. Complaint definition
2.1 A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction with any aspect of Commission-provided
services made by people with disability, their families, carers and/or advocates that is not typical
of regular communication or feedback about services. From the viewpoint of the complainant,
the involvement of management staff is required to achieve a satisfactory resolution to the
concern raised.
2.2 A complaint is additionally classified as serious when:
• it may result in a legal action – civil, criminal, or an administrative action such as a
disciplinary hearing
• there is an allegation of physical, sexual, or emotional abuse or neglect of a client by
a Commission employee
• the action of a staff member or another client may have resulted in death or serious
injury of the complainant
• any action taken by a staff member is outside the Public Service Guidelines, the
Commission’s standards, code of conduct/ethics for the specific profession(s)
• a complaint may have an impact on the Commission as a whole.
Specific guidelines for handling serious complaints are outlined below in section 3.2.2.
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