Vetpol is committed to providing high quality service and achieving the highest standards of support for all our learners and other stakeholders. The company encourages an environment in which constructive complaints are valued and contribute to the positive experience of everyone who uses our service or is a stakeholder in the company. This policy and the accompanying procedure is designed to encourage prompt resolution of complaints at the earliest possible stage.
We aim to ensure that:
- Making a complaint is as simple as possible;
- We treat a complaint as any clear expression of dissatisfaction with our service which calls for a response;
- Every complaint is dealt with promptly, politely and professionally;
- Complaints are responded to in the right way, for instance with an explanation, or an apology where we have got things wrong or information on any action taken etc.
- We learn from complaints and use them to improve our service.
Scope
This policy applies to all complaints made by all Vetpol stakeholders which includes learners training with Vetpol, Tutors and other members of staff as well as other external stakeholders of the business, regarding the services offered by the business to train students to become SQPs.
There is a separate policy concerning the process of investigating complaints about the conduct of SQPs in the fulfilment of their duties under the Veterinary Medicines Regulations.
Policy Statements
Vetpol is committed to treating all valid complaints seriously and assessing them thoroughly.
A complaint can be defined as an expression of dissatisfaction by an individual or a group of individuals about the standard of a service, action or lack of action by or on behalf of an institution.
A complaint may relate to:
- The quality and standard of service offered by Vetpol;
- Failure to provide a service that is agreed or promised;
- The quality of learning resources;
- Treatment by, or attitude of a, member of staff, student, contractor or any other stakeholder;
- Inappropriate behaviour by a member of staff, student, contractor or any other stake holder;
- Failure by Vetpol to follow an appropriate administrative process;
- Dissatisfaction with the company’s policies or procedures.
Vetpol reserves the right to conduct an initial investigation into a complaint but to decline to consider it if it is deemed to be vexatious, where irrational demands are made or where the complainant is unreasonably persistent.
The company reserves the right to refuse to deal with a complainant who takes an overly aggressive or abusive approach towards any member of staff; all members of staff have a right to be treated courteously and with respect.
Complaints should be raised as soon as problems arise to enable prompt investigation and swift resolution.
The company requires that staff must record all complaints so that the data can be used for analysis and management reporting. By recording and using complaints information in this way, the causes of complaints may be identified, addressed and, where appropriate, training opportunities may be identified and improvements made to the services offered.
All formal complaints, unless about services offered by an external body which then needs to be referred to them, should be investigated and a response sent to the complainant within 10 working days.
Complaints concerning the conduct of SQPs registered with Vetpol Ltd
As required by the VMD SQP Code of Practice, all complaints concerning the conduct of SQPs registered with Vetpol Ltd will be judged with reference to a separate complaints process submitted to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, the Competent Authority in the UK with respect to Veterinary Medicines Regulation.
Where a complainant makes a complaint about a matter concerning the prescription or supply of medicines that the complainant considers is important, but is not part of the responsibilities of a SQP as defined by the VMD Code of Practice for SQPs, Vetpol Ltd will supply a written explanation to the complainant that this is not part of the legal responsibility of a SQP.
As a result of the outcome of a complaint against the SQP being upheld concerning competence or conduct Vetpol may require the SQP to undertake further Continuing Professional Development as a condition of remaining on the register, or may be obliged to remove the SQP from the register.
Roles and Responsibilities
Complaints should be made in writing by post or email to Vetpol. Complaints will be acknowledged within 7 working days. We aim to resolve them within one month of all parties providing the relevant information to enable the complaint to be investigated.
Once a complaint is received, the Customer Care Manager will refer it to the relevant department for investigation and follow up with the complainant.
Complaints will be dealt with by any member of the relevant team to which it is referred at first instance, depending on the nature of the complaint.
Serious complaints regarding the quality of service offered by Vetpol and which require a significant amount of money to be refunded to the complainant or more drastic action on the part of the company may be referred to the Vetpol Management Team.