If you believe we have not met your expectations, we invite you to tell us so that we can rectify the situation. We value all feedback.
By making us aware of any short-comings, we will be able to improve our service in future. This document explains how we will handle concerns and complaints we are made aware of.
How we manage complaints
All concerns and complaints are taken seriously. They will be handled in strictest confidence and in accordance with procedures set out in this document. The Chief Executive Officer is responsible for investigating and resolving complaints to your satisfaction. If a complaint is made against the Chief Executive Officer, an officer of the Board of Trustees will take responsibility for investigating and resolving the complaint. It is our policy to ensure that the Trustees receive an anonymous summary of all formal complaints.
Complaints Procedure
There are two ways that you can register your written complaint with the charity:
- Post to: Will Burchell, Chief Executive Officer, Bone Cancer Research Trust, 10 Feast Field, Horsforth, Leeds, LS18 4TJ
- Email Will Burchell
Please ensure the correspondence is marked as 'Private and Confidential'. If you would like someone to complain on your behalf, please provide us with your written consent. This will allow us to discuss the complaint with your appointed person.
Fundraising Activities
If your complaint involves fundraising activities and you are not satisfied with our response to the matter, you can refer your complaint to the Fundraising Regulator. The Fundraising Regulator is an independent, non-statutory body that regulates fundraising across the charitable sector in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. They stand up for best practice in fundraising, in order to protect donors and support the vital work of fundraisers. They work in partnership with other regulators and the representative bodies in the charitable and fundraising sectors to build public confidence and ensure consistent fundraising standards across the UK.
How complaints help develop our service
It is our policy to ensure that the organisation reflects on and learns from all complaints received, therefore we undertake the following:
- Complaints will form a regular agenda item for Trustees meetings
- The Chief Executive Officer will identify the root cause of the complaint, and where possible ensure action is taken to avoid a recurrence
- Any resulting amendments to Bone Cancer Research Trust activities or services will be instigated with immediate effect
- All staff, volunteers and trustees will be given a copy of this policy when they join the Bone Cancer Research Trust
- All staff and volunteers will be trained and able to give information about the Complaints Procedure if asked
Stages of Complaint Procedure
Informal
As a first step, you may wish to discuss your concerns informally to see if the situation can be resolved quickly and effectively. As soon as you bring to our attention a concern or complaint about any aspect of our service, we will immediately try our best to resolve these to your satisfaction.
However, if you wish, it is your right to register a formal complaint at any time.
Formal
A formal complaint is any concern that has been submitted in writing which requires a formal response. If you wish to register a formal complaint we aim to acknowledge receipt of it within 5 working days.
After acknowledging your complaint, the Chief Executive Officer will carry out an investigation and subsequently respond with conclusions. If we are unable to resolve a complaint to your satisfaction within 10 working days of our acknowledgement, we will update you on our progress on a weekly basis (or some other interval agreed by both parties).
If the response to your complaint is not resolved to your satisfaction you have the right to appeal directly to the Chair of the Board of Trustees.