Feedback

1. Introduction

We always aim to provide a high standard of care in all our services.

Our customers’ views are important to us and help to ensure our services are consistently meeting people’s needs. If you are unhappy with any of our services it is important that you let us know.

2. Making a suggestion

Often people feel more comfortable about suggesting improvements rather than complaining formally.

Anyone receiving services, and their friends/ family, may make a suggestion.
First you should speak to the Manager of your store, or their Deputy.

If the suggestion is something that Store First as a company needs to consider you can send it to your branch via email, or to feedback@storefirst.com

3. Making a complaint

We aim to handle complaints quickly, effectively and in a fair and honest way. We take all complaints seriously and use valuable information from investigations to help us improve the services we provide. We treat all complaints in confidence.

Store First assures clients and their families that it will not withdraw or reduce services because someone makes a complaint, if that complaint is made in good faith.

Firstly, you should speak to the Manager of your store, or their Deputy. If your complaint cannot be resolved it will be escalated to the regional manager.

4. Who can complain

Anyone affected by the way Store First provides services can make a complaint.

A representative may complain for the affected person if they:

• have died
• cannot make a complaint themselves, or
• have given consent for the representative to act on their behalf

5. How you can make a complaint

You can complain:

• in person
• by telephone
• through a member of our staff
• through an advocate or representative
• by email

6. Anonymous complaints

We deal with anonymous complaints under the same procedure; however it is better if you can provide contact details so we can tell you the outcome of our investigation.

7. Responsibility

The Regional Manager has overall responsibility for dealing with all complaints made about our service. Should your complaint need to be escalated beyond the store manager correspondence sent to complaints@storefirst.com will be handled by Store First senior management.

8. How we handle escalated complaints

We will acknowledge a complaint within 3 working days.

We will keep you informed about the progress of the investigation. We aim to have all complaints finished within 28 working days unless we agree a different time scale with you.

When we have finished investigating, we will arrange to meet with you to discuss the outcome, along with

• details of the findings;
• any action we have taken; and
• our proposals to resolve your complaint.

9. Time limits

You should complain as soon as you can after the date on which the event occurred or came to your notice. If you complain more than twelve months later, we may not be able to investigate properly. But we shall also consider whether you had good reason for not making the complaint sooner and whether, despite the delay, it is still possible to investigate the complaint effectively and fairly.

10. Further steps

Once we have dealt with your complaint, if you are not happy with the outcome you can refer your complaint to Citizens Advice who will be able to offer guidance on how you should proceed

www.citizensadvice.org.uk