Compliments & Complaints

Complaints

If you wish to raise a complaint about Lancashire Mind or one of our services, you can do this by:

• contacting the person who provided the service
• emailing [email protected]
• writing to us at Lancashire Mind, 80-82 Devonshire Road, Chorley, PR7 2DR

Complaints must be made within six months of the issue occurring. Please tell us what happened, who was involved and what you would like to happen as a result of your complaint. We aim to resolve the complaint at first point of contact but this may not always be possible. In all cases, a written response will be provided within 10 working days.

Data management

To ensure we can learn from compliments and complaints, the following data will be collected:

• Date of compliment/complaint
• Name and contact details
• Nature of the compliment/complain
• Name of staff member investigating the complaint
• Action(s) taken and/or recommendation made in response to the compliment/complaint
• Date of response to a complaint
• Lessons learnt

Any personal data captured during this process is handled in line with Lancashire Mind's Information Governance Policy. Data is retained for six years following receipt of a compliment or closure of a complaint, after which it is securely destroyed.

Whistleblowing

At Lancashire Mind, we want to make sure that we are providing excellent service to the people of Lancashire. Our staff, trustees, volunteers and contractors have an important role to play in achieving this goal and we expect everyone to be committed to our high standards of service.

Lancashire Mind knows that there is risk that something may go wrong or that someone may ignore our policies, our procedures or the law, resulting in serious consequences.  Experience shows that staff, or others who work on behalf of an organisation, often have worries or suspicions and could, by reporting their concerns at an early stage, help put things right or identify and stop potential wrongdoing. Therefore, we encourage people to raise any concerns they have.

A whistle-blower is a term used for a person who works in, or for, an organisation, or is affiliated with an organisation e.g. a trustee, non-executive director, volunteer or someone belonging to a partner organisation, and raises an honest and reasonable concern about a possible fraud, crime, danger, safeguarding concern or other serious risk that could threaten colleagues, people who use our services, or the financial stability and reputation of the organisation.

Lancashire Mind wants employees to feel that it is safe and acceptable to raise concerns so that they can investigate and take action as soon as possible. If you raise a genuine concern under Lancashire Mind's whistleblowing policy, you will not be at risk of losing your job or suffering any detriment (such as a reprisal or victimisation). Provided you are acting in good faith (effectively this means honestly), it does not matter if you are mistaken or if there is an innocent explanation for your concerns.

How to Raise a Concern

Please remember that you do not need to have firm evidence before raising a concern. However, we do ask that you explain, as fully as you can, the information or circumstances that gave rise to your concern.

Step one: if you have a concern about a risk, malpractice or wrongdoing at work, we hope you will feel able to raise it first with your line manager. This may be done verbally or in writing.

Step two: if you feel unable to raise the matter with your line manager, for whatever reason, please raise the matter with the Operations Manager. If you want to raise the matter in confidence, please say so at the outset so that appropriate arrangements can be made.

Step three: if these channels have been followed and you still have concerns, or if you feel that the matter is so serious that you cannot discuss it with any of the above, please contact the Chief Executive Officer.