Complaints and Feedback
At The Disability Company, we strive at delivering safe and quality service to our community. We believe that fostering an organisational culture that values and learns from complaints is one of the most important ways we can meet our community’s needs and continuously improve our services.
How to Submit Feedback or Complaints
If you would like to submit feedback or a complaint, please complete the online form below and our team will respond as soon as possible. The Feedback and Complaints Form can be used to make anonymous complaints.
Complaint management and resolution system
Our complaints management and resolution system is structured as follows:
1. Receive
To lodge a complaint, individuals are encouraged to speak directly to a staff member or submit the online feedback and complaint form available on this page.
Staff will:
Listen – openly to the concerns being raised by the complainant.
Ask – the complainant what outcome they are seeking.
Inform – the complainant clearly of the complaint process, the time the process takes and set realistic expectations.
Be accountable – and empathic towards the affected person and action all commitments made.
Assess – situations that pose an immediate threat or danger, or require a specialised response.
- All complaints and grievances will be referred to the relevant supervisor for resolution.
- The relevant supervisor will discuss minor complaints directly with the party involved as a first step towards resolution.
- If the complaint cannot be resolved promptly or within 24 hours, The Disability Company’s Complaints Manager will treat it as a grievance.
- Grievances can be lodged:
- directly with a staff member, either verbally or by providing a completed Feedback and Complaints Form;
- by email to: services@disabilityco.com
- by phone on 1300 897 848; or
- in writing to: 3/22 Westpool Drive, Hallam, VIC 3803
- At any time, individuals can make a complaint directly to the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) or NDIS Commission via:
- web: https://www.ndiscommission.gov.au/
- email: feedback@ndis.gov.au
- phone: 1800 035 544 (free call from landlines) or TTY 133 677.
- All clients making a complaint will be encouraged to use an advocate of their choice to act on their behalf if they wish. The advocate may be a family member or friend, or sourced (with the assistance of a staff member if required) through the National Disability Advocacy Program.
- Interpreters can be arranged.
2. Record
The Disability Company’s Complaints Manager will:
Record – all information that is relevant to the compliment or complaint, in its original and simplest form, within The Disability Company’s Feedback and Complaints Register.
Store and protect – The Disability Company’s Feedback and Complaints Register in a secure location, accessible only to the Management Team.
3. Acknowledge
The Disability Company’s Complaints Manager will:
Acknowledge – receipt of the complaint within 2 working days to build a relationship of trust and confidence with the person who raised the complaint.
Provide anonymity – a person may request to remain anonymous in their lodgement and therefore contact may not be possible or expected.
Seek desired outcomes – provide realistic expectations and refer the matter to other organisations where identified as being more suitable to handle.
Avoid conflict of interest – by appointing a person unrelated to the matter as an investigator if necessary.
Provide timeframes and expectations – to the complainant where possible.
4. Resolve
In resolving a complaint or grievance, the Disability Company’s Complaints Manager will:
Involve the complainant – keep them informed of the progress of the complaint and discuss any disparities identified in the information held;
Request additional information – when required but apply a timeframe that limits when it is to be provided by;
Consider extensions – only where necessary and always communicate any additional time requirements to the complainant with an explanation of the need;
Record all decisions or actions of the complaint investigation in The Disability Company’s Complaints Register; and
Focus on the identified complaint matters only.
Investigation of complaints will not be conducted by a person about whom a complaint has been made. If required, the Management Team will determine the appropriate person to undertake the investigation.
5. Communicate resolution
The Disability Company will respond to all complaints and grievances as soon as possible and within 28 days from acknowledgement.
If a complaint or grievance cannot be responded to in full within 28 days of acknowledgement, an update will be issued to the complainant. The update will provide the date by which a full response can be expected. The update should be provided verbally in the first instance then confirmed in writing.
The Disability Company’s Complaints Manager will:
Discuss the outcome – where possible, verbally with the complainant before providing written advice and allowing them the opportunity to make further contact following receipt of the written advice.
Include information on recourse – further action available to the complainant at the conclusion of the complaint investigation. An action of recourse may be to escalate the matter further with an external agency or for a further review within the organisation.
Provide a further review – to enable the first investigation to be reviewed for soundness and allow additional information not available in the first complaint to be included.
Identify opportunities – relay complaint outcomes to the appropriate area within the organisation for action to improve service delivery.
Seek Feedback – from the complainant regarding their experience of the complaints process.
Action – a response to a complaint that may involve any or all of the following:
- explaining processes;
- rectifying an issue;
- providing an apology;
- ongoing monitoring of issues; and
- training or education of staff