QUALITY ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK CORE SERVICE OBJECTIVES

Transcription

1 MONITORING AND REVIEW OF SUPPORTING PEOPLE SERVICES QUALITY ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK CORE SERVICE OBJECTIVES Offce of the Deputy Prme Mnster March

2 Contents C1.1 NEEDS AND RISK ASSESSMENT...3 C1.2 SUPPORT PLANNING...9 C 1.3 SECURITY, HEALTH AND SAFETY...13 C 1.4 PROTECTION FROM ABUSE...18 C 1.5 FAIR ACCESS, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION...22 C 1.6 COMPLAINTS...29 ADMINISTERING AUTHORITIES AND PROVIDERS ARE STRONGLY URGED TO READ THE GUIDANCE USING THE QAF WHEN ASSESSING SERVICES AGAINST THESE STANDARDS 2

3 C1.1 needs and rsk assessment Assessments of needs and rsks are carred out for all servce users. Processes place users vews at the centre, are managed by sklled staff and nvolve carers and/or other professonals. Performance Level D There s no formalsed approach to needs and rsk assessment and the need to develop one s accepted. HIAs 3

4 Performance Level C The needs of servce users and any nherent rsks are assessed on a consstent and comprehensve bass pror to a servce beng offered, or very shortly afterwards as approprate to the needs of the clent group. HIAs The needs and rsk assessment process s wrtten down and staff can descrbe the procedures that are followed. There s an assessment tool approprate to the servce user group. Suggestons for coverage: Advocacy and communcaton Budgetng and managng fnances Clamng welfare benefts Safety and securty of the home Move-on aspratons Settng up home and mantanng home Mantanng tenancy Personal safety and rsk Moblty, ads and adaptatons Medcaton Rsks to staff and communty Physcal health and hygene Emotonal well beng and mental health Substance msuse Famly & socal contacts Socal and lesure nterests Tranng and employment Cultural and fath needs Recent use of other servces Housng need and recent hstory Chld care Parentng sklls Practcal home care Any other concerns rased by the prospectve servce user. The needs and rsk assessment procedures are covered n staff nducton and/or tranng programmes. Copes of all assessments are kept on fle and are avalable for nspecton. 4

5 v The needs of servce users and rsks are revewed perodcally on a consstent and systematc bass. Needs and rsk assessment and revews nvolve servce users and take full account of ther vews, targets and aspratons. Assessment and revew procedures are revewed perodcally and n response to changng legslatve or fundng requrements. HIAs Case notes show that all servce users needs have been revewed wth approprate frequency and at least annually. Case notes show that rsk assessments have been revewed wth approprate frequency, after each partcular ncdent, each crtcal ncdent and at least annually. The procedures for tmng and carryng out revews are documented n ndvdual case records. The procedures are covered n staff nducton and/or tranng programmes. The wrtten procedures descrbe how servce users vews are to be ncorporated. Where prospectve servce users dsagree wth any outcomes of assessment or revews ther vews and reasonng are recorded. Servce users are provded wth a copy of assessments and revews. Servce users confrm that ther vews have been lstened to and taken nto account. There s documentary evdence that the procedures have been revewed and/or updated wthn the last fve years (or more recently f requred by external factors). v Staff carryng out needs and rsk assessments and revews are competent to do so. Tranng records and/or personnel fles show that relevant staff have been traned n needs and rsk assessment and revew. Staff are able to descrbe the assessment and revew processes and the ratonale behnd the key elements. Personnel fles show that staff undertakng assessments and revews are experenced n workng wth those needs most commonly encountered amongst prospectve servce users. Records show that, when necessary, assessments and revews are carred out by more than one member of staff n order to broaden the sklls / knowledge base. 5

6 Performance Level B When prospectve servce users gve permsson, outcomes of assessments are explaned to referral agences. Very short HIAs Referral agences confrm that they receve these explanatons. Outcomes of assessments and revews are explaned to servce users. Unsuccessful applcants are referred to more approprate servces. The wrtten procedures state that decsons must be explaned to all current servce users and successful and unsuccessful applcants. Successful applcants / exstng servce users are provded wth a wrtten explanaton of the outcome and copes are placed on ther case fles. Unsuccessful applcants are provded wth a wrtten explanaton and copes are retaned on fle by the provder. Assessment records show that unsuccessful applcants have been advsed as to potental alternatve provders. v v There s a rght of appeal aganst decsons arsng from assessments and revews wth whch servce users dsagree. Servce users have the rght to be accompaned at appeals. Procedures descrbe the appeals process. Appeals are attended by staff addtonal to those who carred out the revew. Servce users are gven wrtten detals of the appeals process whch explan who wll be nvolved, when and where the appeal wll take place and that the applcant may be accompaned by a frend or relatve or other professonal or advocate. 6

7 Performance Level B v v The servce takes a proactve approach to nvolvng other agences n ts work that ncludes tryng to establsh stronger lnks or more regular nteracton wth key agences. Feedback s perodcally sought from key agences as part of servce plannng and revew. Very short HIAs Copes of correspondence or mnutes of meetngs demonstrate nter-agency lason. Other agences are able to confrm the jont workng ntatves. There are named contacts n all of the key agences and examples of regular nformaton sharng. Staff are readly able to refer to relevant ndvduals and descrbe the nature of contacts wth them. Feedback from other agences s recorded. There are mnutes, reports or other documents that refer to ths feedback beng ncorporated nto servce plannng and revew. Performance Level A Professonal expertse s avalable when necessary. HIAs There s documentary evdence (correspondence, protocols etc.) that external experts are avalable to partcpate n assessments when necessary. Formal mechansms are n place between the servce and external agences to facltate and enable jont workng. Intatves such as shared protocols, jont assessment procedures, jont tranng can be descrbed by staff and evdenced by approprate documentaton. 7

8 Performance Level A Servce users are nvolved n perodc revews of the needs and rsk assessment and revew procedures. HIAs Notes of the revews record servce users nvolvement. v Outcomes of revews (of ndvdual needs and rsk assessments) are used to nform servce development and strategc plannng. Revews of needs consder how successful the servce has been n assstng servce users n realsng ther plans, targets or aspratons and ths nformaton s used to mprove servces. Busness plans and/or other strategc documents cte evdence from outcomes of revews n the plannng or remodellng of future servces so as to ensure that servces contnually reflect changng needs and aspratons. 8

9 C1.2 plannng Servce users have up-to-date plans n place. Processes place users vews at the centre, are managed by sklled staff and nvolve carers and/or other professonals. Performance Level D There s no formalsed approach to plannng and the need to develop one s accepted. HIAs Performance Level C All servce users have ndvdual plans that address the needs and rsks dentfed by the needs and rsk assessment process and the outcomes that they want to secure from the servce. HIAs The plans exst and copes are placed on servce users case fles. Clear lnks can be seen between assessments of servce users needs and ther plans. 9

10 Performance Level B HIAs Support plans are outcome-focused. Support plans ncorporate specfc ntended outcomes whch have been agreed wth servce users and, f approprate, carers, relatves or other advocates. The servce takes a proactve approach to nvolvng other agences n ts work that ncludes tryng to establsh stronger lnks or more regular nteracton wth key agences. Feedback s perodcally sought from key agences as part of servce plannng and revew. Copes of correspondence or mnutes of meetngs demonstrate nter-agency lason. Other agences are able to confrm the jont workng ntatves. There are named contacts n all of the key agences and examples of regular nformaton sharng. Staff are readly able to refer to relevant ndvduals and descrbe the nature of contacts wth them. Feedback from other agences s recorded. There are mnutes, reports or other documents that refer to ths feedback beng ncorporated nto servce plannng and revew. v Indvdual plans are revsed to reflect outcomes of revews. HIAs Revew records demonstrate clear lnks between changng need, revsed user outcomes and plans. 10

11 v v The tmng of revews s responsve to servce users. Support plannng takes account of the wder needs of the servce user (beyond those beng met drectly n the servce) whch mpact upon ther need for, and the extent to whch these are currently beng met by external agences. HIAs Procedures state that revews can be ntated at any tme by a servce user. Ths rght s explaned wthn the servce descrpton, servce users handbook etc. Servce users confrm that they are aware that they can ntate revews. Case notes or plans demonstrate such plannng takes place. Staff are able to descrbe the arrangements by whch wder needs are met and by whch there s co-ordnaton between the varous agences concerned. Performance Level A Professonal expertse s avalable when necessary. HIAs There s documentary evdence (correspondence, protocols etc.) that external experts are avalable to partcpate n plannng when necessary. Formal mechansms are n place between the servce and external agences to facltate and enable jont workng. Intatves such as shared protocols, jont plannng arrangements, jont tranng can be descrbed by staff and evdenced by approprate documentaton. 11

12 Performance Level A There are perodc meetngs wth key agences to plan or revew servce delvery. HIAs Both the provder and the other agences are able to provde records of such plannng meetngs and revews. v v Servce users are nvolved n perodc revews of the needs and revew procedures. Outcomes of revews (of ndvdual needs) are used to nform servce development and strategc plannng. Notes of the revews record servce users nvolvement. Revews of needs consder how successful the servce has been n assstng servce users n realsng ther plans, targets or aspratons and ths nformaton s used to mprove servces. Busness plans and/or other strategc documents cte evdence from outcomes of revews n the plannng or remodellng of future servces so as to ensure that servces contnually reflect changng needs and aspratons. 12

13 C 1.3 securty, health and safety The securty, health and safety of all ndvdual servce users and staff are protected. Explanatory note: Indvdual servce user rsk s addressed by Objectves C1.1and S1.3. Ths standard addresses securty and health and safety rsks that potentally affect all servce users. The falure to acheve level C represents a serous potental rsk to servce users and/or staff. Where level C s not acheved provders must take mmedate steps to brng performance up to ths level. Performance Level D There s no up-to-date health and safety polcy but the need for mmedate acton to acheve performance level C s accepted. HIAs 13

14 Performance Level C There s an up-to-date health and safety polcy. HIAs The polcy s less than fve years old and s n accordance wth relevant legslaton. It ncludes, where applcable: Consumer Protecton Act 1987, Management of Houses n Multple Occupaton Regulatons 1990 and local HMO regulatons, Gas Safety (Installaton and Use) Regulatons 1998, Furnture and Furnshngs (Fre) (Safety) Regulatons 1988 (as amended n 1993), Electrcal Equpment (Safety) Regulatons 1994, Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulatons 1994, Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, Constructon Desgn & Management Regulatons Dsablty Dscrmnaton Act 1995 Free leaflets are avalable from the Health and Safety Executve: An ntroducton to health and safety; Statng your busness: gudance on preparng a health and safety document for small frms. Staff understand and mplement the polcy. Specal attenton s pad to the rsks of lone workers. (Note: where they are not the same body, some of the above requrements may be the responsblty of the landlord rather than the provder.) Staff nducton programmes cover the health and safety polcy. Staff are able to descrbe the prncpal features of the polcy and the mpact on ther work. Where staff work alone, rsk assessments specfcally address the rsks faced by lone workers. There s a lone worker polcy that sets out procedures to mnmse the rsks to people workng alone. 14

15 v v v Health and safety nspectons of shared and common areas of other servces are conducted at approprate ntervals. Rsk assessments of premses and servce delvery mechansms are conducted perodcally, at least annually to dentfy health and safety and securty rsks to staff and servce users. Acton s taken n response to ndvdual concerns rased by staff or servce users. HIAs There are records of the nspectons, partcpants, key fndngs and acton taken. Inspecton ntervals are proportonate to the perceved rsks and the vulnerabltes of the servce users. There are records of the nspectons, partcpants, key fndngs and acton taken. Where staff work alone, the assessment specfcally addresses the rsks faced by lone workers. Records of concerns rased, acton taken and feedback provded. v v Where applcable (.e. n servces where staff are not on-ste at all tmes) servce users understand the emergency call-out procedures. Servce users are aware of the health, safety and securty polces and understand how to report concerns. These procedures are documented and where approprate are posted n promnent locaton(s) on the premses whle takng account of the need to create a homely and non-nsttutonal envronment. Servce users can correctly descrbe the arrangements. Servce user handbooks, welcome packs or other nformaton explan the procedures. Concerns are documented and llustrate that servce users understand and partcpate n health, safety and securty rsk dentfcaton. 15

16 x The rsks to staff assocated wth workng n other people s homes are assessed perodcally, and at least annually. HIAs There are records of the assessments, partcpants, key fndngs and acton taken. Where staff work alone, the assessment specfcally addresses the rsks faced by lone workers. Performance Level B A formal methodology exsts for conductng rsk assessments. HIAs The methodology s documented and covers all potental rsks (other than rsks to ndvdual servce users). Servce users are nvolved n rsk assessments. In servces whch are not staffed 24 hours a day there are arrangements n place to provde out-of-hours to servce users n crss or emergency. The rsk assessment methodology sets out how servce users are to be nvolved. Assessment records record the partcpaton of servce users. There s a telephone number that servces users can call and talk to an approprate agency. Ths need not necessarly be the provder and may be another provder wth whom there s an agreement to provde out-of-hours telephone. The number s well publcsed to servce users n handbooks, leaflets, posters etc. 16

17 Performance Level A Servce users are nvolved n revew of health and safety and securty polces and procedures. HIAs Mnutes or other records of the revew processes demonstrate partcpaton or, at least, that all reasonable efforts have been made to secure partcpaton In very short- accommodaton t may be more desrable or practcal to nvolve an alternatve person or organsaton n leu of servce users (e.g. a prncpal referral agency). The ntenton s to brng a perspectve that s external to that of staff nvolved n dayto-day servce delvery. 17

18 C 1.4 protecton from abuse The rght of servce users to be protected from abuse s safeguarded. The falure to acheve level C represents a serous potental rsk to servce users and/or staff. Where level C s not acheved provders must take mmedate steps to brng performance up to ths level. Ths objectve apples to all knds of abuse, many of whch are not physcal n ther nature, e.g. fnancal or materal abuse or abuse through neglect or omsson. Approaches to protecton from abuse therefore must be approprate to the partcular type of servce concerned and based on an assessment of the full range of rsks faced. Performance Level D There are no up-to-date polces and procedures to ensure protecton from abuse and the need for mmedate acton to acheve performance level C s accepted. HIAs 18

19 Performance Level C v v v There are robust up-to-date procedures (ncludng a whstleblowng polcy and recrutment checks) for avodng and respondng to actual or suspected abuse or neglect. Prompt acton s taken n response to ndvdual complants or concerns from staff or servce users. The polces and procedures are fully understood by staff. There are procedures to prevent staff from personal beneft when workng wth vulnerable people. Staff are made aware of and understand ther professonal boundares. Servce users are aware of the procedures for reportng abuse or neglect. HIAs The procedures are documented and address physcal, sexual, psychologcal, fnancal or materal and dscrmnatory abuse and acts of neglect or omsson. The procedures are n accordance wth the Publc Interest Dsclosure Act 1998 and, where approprate, wth the Department of Health gudance No Secrets. The procedures have been revewed wthn the last fve years. A log records detals of nvestgatons and outcomes and shows that approprate acton s taken. Staff nducton and tranng programmes specfcally address protecton from abuse. Staff are able to descrbe the prncpal elements, the reasons behnd them and ther mplcatons for ther work. Staff know to whom they should report any actual or suspected abuse or neglect. There s a documented rsk assessment addressng potental for personal beneft through abuse e.g. n the provson of fnancal advce, power of attorney, handlng servce users money, managng mprovement works etc. and procedures n place to mnmse dentfed rsks. There s documentary evdence that nducton, tranng, supervson etc. specfcally addresses the nature and lmts of relatonshps between staff and servce users. Staff are able to descrbe the polces concernng relatonshps wth servce users. The exstence of the procedure s publcsed n approprate ways e.g. n servce user nducton or welcome packs or handbooks, on notce boards etc. Servce users understand what consttutes abuse and know to whom they should report any actual or suspected abuse or neglect. 19

20 Performance Level B HIAs Staff receve approprate tranng. Tranng s provded to all relevant staff. HR records show that the tranng has been attended. Staff can explan the content of the tranng and the mpact on ther work. Staff can explan how to recognse symptoms of abuse or neglect. Staff can explan how to deal approprately wth aggresson from servce users. There s a perodc (at least annual) revew of the effectveness of abuse polces. The revew s documented and examnes how each reported case was dealt wth and also ams to dentfy and address any dsncentves to reportng of actual or suspected abuse or neglect. Performance Level A Servce users are actvely nvolved n revewng the polces and procedures. There s a co-ordnated mult-agency approach to tacklng abuse or neglect. HIAs Mnutes or other records of the revew processes demonstrate partcpaton. In very short- accommodaton t may be more desrable or practcal to nvolve an alternatve person or organsaton n leu of servce users (e.g. a prncpal referral agency). The ntenton s to brng a perspectve that s external to that of staff nvolved n or responsble for servce delvery. Notes of mult-agency workng e.g. mnutes and agendas, named contacts, jont acton plans etc. 20

21 Performance Level A There s a planned approach to vctm HIAs There s a documented means of respondng to vctm ncludng, for example; agreements wth other provders to offer alternatve servces to vctms, provdng or puttng vctms n touch wth forms of such as counsellng, legal advce etc. v There s a planned approach to dealng wth perpetrators There are clear procedures n place for dentfyng perpetrators, nformng the polce and/or takng legal acton f approprate, natng employment, workng wth perpetrators to avod recurrence etc. 21

22 C 1.5 far access, dversty and ncluson There s a commtment to the values of dversty and ncluson and to practce of equal opportunty (ncludng accessblty n ts wdest sense) and the needs of black and mnorty ethnc servce users are approprately met. Performance Level D There s no wrtten statement of equal opportunty polcy (EOP) or documented approach to dversty and ncluson and the need for further work s accepted. HIAs Performance Level C The elgblty crtera and applcaton process are publcsed and freely avalable. HIAs The elgblty crtera, means of prortsng applcatons and the applcaton process are wrtten down and descrbed n plan language. Copes are provded to all enqurers. The assessment and allocatons processes are up-to-date and ensure far access to the servce. There s a documented procedure that specfes how enqures and applcatons are processed, assessed and prortsed. The procedures have been revewed wthn the last fve years. The assessment procedure ensures that servce user s needs are compared objectvely wth the elgblty crtera of the servce. 22

23 Performance Level C There are wrtten polces coverng equal opportunty (EOP), antdscrmnatory practce (ADP) and harassment. HIAs The polces exst and cover dscrmnaton on grounds of: gender, age, relgon, race, dsablty, natonalty and sexualty. The polces cover staff and servce users and address access to servces and employment. The equal opportuntes polcy s n accordance wth the: Race Relatons Act 1976, Dsablty Dscrmnaton Act 1995, Human Rghts Act 1998, Sex Dscrmnaton Act 1975 and subsequent amendments to these. v v There s a recrutment and selecton polcy that ams to elmnate dscrmnaton n recrutment processes. Staff are famlar wth the above polces. The polces are n accordance wth the Commsson for Race Equalty Code Of Practce. The polces have been revewed wthn the last fve years. Polces are covered n nducton programmes. Staff are able to descrbe key features of the polces. 23

24 Performance Level C v Informaton s made avalable to servce users about the avalablty of cultural and relgous organsatons and centres. HIAs There are promnently avalable posters, leaflets etc., and/or plans, key-workng notes etc. record that nformaton has been mparted. Performance Level B There s a documented plan for ensurng equalty of opportunty and ant-dscrmnatory practce. HIAs The plan exsts and covers both staff and servce users. Partcular attenton s pad to ensurng far access to mnorty and hard to reach groups. The elgblty crtera, means of prortsng applcatons and the applcaton process are dstrbuted to organsatons workng wth ndvduals from mnorty and dscrmnated aganst groups. Target organsatons are able to confrm recept. Actve lnks are made wth organsatons workng wth mnorty and dscrmnated aganst groups wth the am of ensurng that referral pathways, elgblty and servce desgn are nondscrmnatory and promote far access. There s evdence of the actve lnks e.g. mnutes of recent meetngs, named contacts n other organsaton, correspondence, confrmaton from other partes etc. 24

25 Performance Level B v v The effectveness of the equal opportuntes and ant-dscrmnatory polces and plans are perodcally revewed. Equalty access targets are set and performance montored aganst these. The ADP, EOP and harassment polces are mplemented and effectve. Servce users are provded wth nformaton on organsatons or servces for dscrmnated-aganst groups. HIAs The targets are documented and approved n approprate mnutes. Relevant staff demonstrate a workng knowledge of the targets. Perodc revews (at least annual) of statstcs and other performance nformaton compared to targets contaned wth the plan. The workforce reflects the dversty and cultural profle of servce users. Staff are able to explan the polces and how they mpact on ther work. Staff are able to refer to specfc actons or changes arsng from the polces (e.g. changes n recrutment practces, challenges to unacceptable language or behavour etc.). The nformaton s evdent on notce boards, n newsletters, servce user handbooks, ntroductory nformaton or other sutable meda. v v The communcaton needs of servce users are catered for. Staff understand and are senstve to partcular needs of servce users from mnorty groups. Where necessary, servce users are able to communcate n forms other than Englsh There s evdence that reasonable efforts have been made to provde wrtten communcatons (ncludng nformaton about the servce and how to apply) n the preferred forms (e.g. other languages, sgnng, Bralle etc.) of as many servce users or potental servce users as feasbly possble. Records show that staff are specfcally recruted or traned to ensure ths understandng. 25

26 Performance Level B v Servce users are made aware of the above polces. HIAs Polces are explaned n servce users ntroductory nformaton. Servce users confrm awareness of the polces. x The elgblty crtera and applcaton process are actvely dstrbuted to relevant agences. The elgblty crtera, means of prortsng applcatons and the applcaton process are perodcally (at least annually) dstrbuted to referral agences, commssoners, advce servces, other provders and any other agences n regular contact wth members of the target servce user group(s). Target organsatons can confrm that ths happens. x Servce users are able to observe ther relgous and cultural customs. HIAs Servces where meals are provded cater for varyng detary requrements. Servce users have access to places of worshp. Ths may be approprate space on the premses or at local churches, mosques etc. Where travellng s necessary, the servce offers assstance to those servce users who need t. 26

27 Performance Level A There s a co-ordnated mult-agency approach to tacklng dscrmnaton and harassment HIAs Notes of mult-agency workng e.g. mnutes and agendas, named contacts, jont acton plans etc. v v There s a planned approach to vctm There s a planned approach to dealng wth perpetrators Key stakeholders are actvely nvolved n revewng elgblty crtera, applcaton procedures and prortsaton. Far access s assured by ndependent audt. There s a documented means of respondng to vctm ncludng, for example; agreements wth other provders to offer alternatve servces to vctms, provdng or puttng vctms n touch wth forms of such as counsellng, legal advce etc. There are clear procedures n place for dentfyng perpetrators, nformng the polce and/or takng legal acton f approprate, natng employment, workng wth perpetrators to avod recurrence etc. Correspondence, mnutes, stakeholders themselves etc. confrm partcpaton of referral agences, funders / commssoners, organsatons workng wth dscrmnated aganst groups etc. There are records of perodc ndependent audts of the assessment and allocaton process. ( Independent does not necessarly mean by somebody outsde the provder organsaton but refers to a person or people not nvolved n or responsble for servce delvery.) v Servce users are nvolved n the perodc revew of the ADP, EOP and harassment polces. HIAs Notes of nvolvement or consultaton through meetngs, focus groups, newsletters etc. 27

28 v Servce users are actvely nvolved n revewng allocatons procedures. HIAs Staff, mnutes, procedures, other notes and servce users (f stll usng servces) confrm. 28

29 C 1.6 complants Users, carers and other stakeholders are made aware of complants procedures and how to use them. Performance Level D There s no wrtten complants procedure and the need to develop one s accepted. HIAs Performance Level C There s a wrtten complants procedure that makes clear: whom to complan to n the frst nstance; what the organsaton wll do; how to escalate a complant and appeal n the case of dssatsfacton wth the outcome. All servce users and carers are made aware of the complants procedures and how to use them. HIAs The procedure exsts and has been revewed wthn the last fve years. In accommodaton-based servces where the landlord and provder are not the same body, the procedure makes clear whom to complan to regardng the servce. The exstence of the procedure s publcsed n approprate ways e.g. n servce user nducton or welcome packs or handbooks, on notce boards etc. 29

30 Performance Level C HIAs Staff follow the procedure. Staff are able to descrbe the procedure. There s a log of complants. v Acton s taken n response to ndvdual complants. A log records outcomes to complants and shows that approprate acton s taken wthn reasonable response tmes. Performance Level B The language and presentaton of the procedure promotes understandng by the majorty of servce users. HIAs The procedure s wrtten n smple language and s avalable n forms approprate to the needs of as many servce users as reasonably possble. Servce users understand the procedure. Servce users are able to descrbe the procedure. Outcomes of complants are fed back to complanants Case fles or other records contan correspondence or notes of verbal feedback. v The organsaton and ts staff see complants as a postve feedback tool. Staff receve tranng n dealng wth and encouragng complants. Servce users and carers feel able to complan and are confdent that ther complant wll be dealt wth n a postve manner. There s a perodc revew (at least every fve years) that asks whether there s suffcent awareness of the procedure and what mght nhbt complants. 30

31 Performance Level A Servce users and carers are encouraged and empowered to use the complants procedure. Complants are proactvely used n plannng and shapng servces wth the nvolvement of servce users and carers. The complants procedure specfcally addresses complants from external ndvduals or organsatons. HIAs Records (e.g. case notes, plans, day-books) show that ndvdual servce users have been encouraged and ed n the use of the complants procedures. Independent advocacy s avalable to help servce users and carers to use the complants system. There s a perodc (at least annual) revew of complants receved, whch s shared wth servce users and carers who partcpate n denng consequent changes or mprovements to the servce. The procedure s documented. v Revews of the complants procedure nvolve servce users and carers. HIAs There s a perodc revew (at least every fve years) of the complants procedure that nvolves servce users and carers n denng any changes n the procedures. The revew should am to ask whether there s suffcent awareness of the polcy and what mght nhbt complants. 31