Communicating your concerns

Touching Base Inc Feedback and Complaints Policy 2010 (as amended 7th August 2020)

The Touching Base Committee is currently reviewing, expanding and updating our Feedback and Complaints Policy

Touching Base Inc. is committed to providing high quality services to people with disability, sex workers and other community stakeholders. We encourage anyone using our services to comment, congratulate us on our services or to lodge a complaint if we have failed to provide a satisfactory service.

• Touching Base Inc. strives to provide appropriate services in a manner which enhances the independence, confidence and dignity of anyone using our services.
• It is the policy of Touching Base Inc. to support a person’s right to be heard in relation to the service they are receiving or requiring, and to be supported in making a formal complaint about the service.
• We will also accept informal suggestions regarding the improvement of delivered services.
• Touching Base Inc. will objectively view any complaint as a valuable indicator of the need for possible improvement in the provision of quality services.
• Touching Base Inc. ensures that its policies, practices and procedures reflect and protect the rights of people with disability and sex workers in order to ensure no one is discriminated against, abused or harassed, and that complaints are able to be made without fear of victimization.
• Touching Base Inc. will ensure that everyone has a fair and timely resolution of complaints
• Amendments to the Civil Liability Act 2002 mean that an apology does not constitute an admission of guilt, fault or liability, and will not be relevant to the determination of guilt, fault or liability, in connection with civil liability of any kind.

Definition of a Complaint:

• Touching Base Inc. will consider anything as a complaint which those using our services believe  to be  unfair or which makes them feel dissatisfied with the service
• The system provides for 3 levels of Complaints – informal, formal and external
• A “Complaint” is any dissatisfaction with a product or service offered or provided.
• The “Complainant” is the person making a complaint.
• A “Dispute” is a pursued unresolved complaint

Right to make a complaint:

• Those using our services have the right to raise complaints, issues and problems that they have with any aspect of the service we have provided, and to have these resolved equitably and fairly, in a way that preserves the dignity of those involved.
• Touching Base Inc. will accept any reasonable expression of dissatisfaction about a service we have provided as a ‘complaint’.
• Anyone filing a complaint has a right to have another person support them through the complaints process.
• Touching Base Inc. will ensure, that sex workers, clients, their families, guardians and advocates understand their right to complain.
• Touching Base Inc. will continue to provide services where appropriate, throughout the resolution of a complaint.

Steps to Follow when Lodging a Complaint:

1. The complainant should contact Touching Base Inc. either in writing, via e-mail or by phone and outline / lodge their complaint.

2. If the complainant wishes to make the complaint in person, they will need to contact Touching Base Inc. to organise a suitable time [see end of page for contact details].

3. The complainant will be informed of the complaints process and the next available Touching Base Inc. Committee meeting, where the complaint will be tabled for resolution.

4. If a client with disability requires assistance with communication or they require an interpreter, Touching Base encourages them to seek the support of an interpreter or advocacy services. A list of Disability Advocacy Services in NSW & ACT is provided as Appendix A.

5. If making a verbal complaint the person may wish to invite a carer, friend, family member or outside advocate for support.

6. Touching Base Inc. will acknowledge the complaint in writing within 5 working days and document the complaint, including:

• • Name of the complainant
  • Name of advocate or support person if appropriate
  • Nature / Issue of complaint and outcome sought by complainant
  • Short / long term action taken

7. To resolve the complaint, Touching Base Inc. will, if deemed appropriate, speak with those involved to discuss and clarify the situation.

8. Touching Base Inc. may and will explore any other process deemed appropriate to resolve the complaint and document accordingly.

9. Touching Base Inc. will inform those involved of any action/s to be taken to resolve the complaint.

10. If the complainant is still not satisfied with the outcome Touching Base Inc. will refer them to an external body to assist in the resolution of the complaint.

11. A complaint can be made to the Disability Services Commissioner if a client with disability, a member of their family, carer or guardian believes Touching Base Inc. has not properly investigated or acted upon a complaint.

12. A Touching Base Inc. client, a member of their family, their carer or guardian may make a complaint directly to the Disability Services Commissioner or an external body.

13. The feedback from all those involved may be used for future planning and development of a quality service.

Notes for Complainant         

• At any stage of the process you have the right to involve an advocate or support person to assist you
• All complaints however lodged will be documented and the outcomes of the complaints procedure will be monitored to inform and promote service improvements
• Complaints will remain confidential.

CONTACT DETAILS: Touching Base Inc.

Postal Address: PO Box 523,  Newtown, NSW 2042,  Australia

Email:                info@touchingbase.org

Web:                  www.touchingbase.org

Mobile Phone:  0424 591 409

APPENDIX A: Advocacy services in NSW & ACT: TBaseFeedbackComplaintsPolicy2020a_AppendixA_AdvocacyServices

Download the Touching Base Inc Feedback and Complaints Policy 2010a:
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