Comments and Complaints.

We welcome comments on how we might improve our services. If you have a comment or complaint, there are several options available.

Comments and Suggestions.

There is a comments and suggestion box in the communal area of the hallway at Oasis Project, 11 Richmond Road and feedback is always welcome.

If you have a concern or complaint that needs a more direct response you will need to raise your concern more directly.

Raising concerns.

Many people do find it useful to discuss concerns straight away with either a staff member of a peer support mentor. However, you do not need to have previously done this in order to make a formal complaint.

Many problems can be resolved quickly by talking things over. Misunderstandings can easily happen and sometimes just as easily be put right.

If you do not want to discuss your concerns with the staff member or their manager, or if you have tried this and are still unhappy you can ask to speak to a manager or the CEO. See below for how to contact them.

Making a complaint.

If you do decide to make a complaint, this should normally be no more than twelve months after the event you are complaining about. You can make a complaint in a number of ways.

You can speak to any member of staff who will record the complaint on the formal complaint form. You can contact them:

The CEO will ask an appropriate manager to investigate your complaint on her behalf. They will usually try to contact you to discuss your complaint so please provide a telephone number if you can.

How your complaint will be dealt with

Oasis will make contact with you within 7 days of the receipt of your complaint to find out further information from you.

Oasis will have a total of 28 days from receipt of your complaint in which to conduct an investigation and inform you of the outcome of your complaint. If the complaint cannot be resolved within 28 days we will contact you to let you know why and inform you of a date by which you can expect an outcome.

We will contact you with the outcome and follow this up with a letter.

Appeal:

If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the investigation and the matter is not resolved you have the right to appeal the original decision. You must write to the Chair of the Board of Trustees (via the Oasis office address) within 7 days of receipt of the outcome letter, explaining why you are unhappy with the outcome. The Chair of the Board (or a representative Board member) will investigate the matter and will respond to you within 21 days.

If you remain unsatisfied after the appeal process, you will be provided with the contact details of appropriate regulatory bodies to complain to if they wish to, such as The Health Service Ombudsman or the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

General information

The Health Service Ombudsman is a free, independent complaints service. If they decide that the organisation has got things wrong, they can make recommendations to put things right. You can contact the Health Service Ombudsman in the following ways:

  • By phoning 0345 015 4033 (textphone 0300 061 4298 for people who are deaf or have problems using a standard phone)
  • By sending an email to: phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk
  • By texting ‘call back’, with your name and mobile number, to 07624 813 005 and someone will then call you
  • By writing to: Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, Millbank Tower, Millbank, London, SW1P 4QP
  • You can also visit their website at www.ombudsman.org.uk

Alternatively you can contact the Care Quality Commission.  If you have experienced poor care, or you know that poor care is being provided somewhere, they would like to know.

They use the information when they are inspecting health and social care services to make sure that we are meeting important standards of quality and safety. If we are not, they can use their legal powers to make us improve our services for the benefit of people using our services now and in the future.

  • Call the CQC on: 03000 616161
  • Email CQC at: enquiries@cqc.org.uk
  • Look at their website at www.cqc.org.uk
  • Write to them at: Care Quality Commission Citygate, Gallowgate, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4PA