Complaints and Dispute Policy - Easy Read

This document explains how we deal with complaints and disputes.

A dispute is when two people don’t agree about something.

It explains:

• who can make a complaint

• how to make a complaint

• what we do when someone makes a complaint.

This document is our policy for complaints and disputes.

A policy is a plan for how we will do things.

This policy is to make sure anyone who makes a complaint about our services:

• is encouraged to make their complaint

• knows that nothing bad will happen because they have made a complaint.

We want to:

• have a set way for people to make a complaint – this is our complaints process

• make sure that people know how to make a complaint

• make sure people can tell us what they think about our complaints process

• make sure we use what people tell us to make our services better.

This policy is for:

• people who use our services
• people who work for us
• our Committee of Management members.

This policy is for complaints about our services.

If you are unhappy with our services or our staff, you can make a complaint.

It is a good idea to have someone help you through the complaints process.

A friend, family member or support person may be able to help you.

You can make a complaint about our service straight to us.

Or, you can ask another organisation to make a complaint for you.

Other organisations you could ask include:

• Health and Disability Services Complaints Office
• Complaints Resolution and Referral Services.

To make a complaint straight to us, follow these steps:

1. Ask to talk to a Senior Manager about your complaint.

You can contact them:

• by email
• on the phone
• in person
• by writing a letter.

2. The Senior Manager will contact you in 5 days.

They will:

• talk to you about your complaint
• write down information about your complaint
• add your complaint to our Complaints Register.

3. If your complaint is about someone who works for us, they won’t talk or write to you until the complaint is solved.

4. If the Senior Manager can’t solve your complaint, they will tell the President of the Committee of Management.

5. The President will take your complaint to a sub-committee.

The sub-committee is a small group of people from our Committee of Management.

The sub-committee will talk to you privately.

They will also talk to the other people involved in the complaint.

They will write down what you and the other people say.

6. If you are not happy, you can take your complaint to another organisation like:

• Health and Disability Services Complaints Office
• Complaints Resolution and Referral Services.

You can do this any time you want during the complaints process.

7. You can also get help for your complaint from an advocate from another organisation.

An advocate is a person who supports you. They help you have your say. They can also give you information and advice.

You can do this any time you want during the complaints process.

8. We will keep all the information about your complaint private and safe.

There are 3 other documents connected to this policy, our:

• Complaints Register
• Grievances Policy
• Governance Policy.

You can find these documents in our policy manual.

Advocate

An advocate is a person who supports you. They help you have your say. They can also give you information and advice.

Dispute

A dispute is when two people don’t agree about something. When they are arguing about something.

Policy

A plan for how we will do things.

You can contact us on:

08 9485 8900

Country Callers 1800 193 331

[email protected]

Suite 1 Oasis Lotteries House

37 Hampden Road

Nedlands WA 6009

www.pwdwa.org