aaa

aaa

aaa

Feedback, compliments, complaints and issues of concern

SchemeWise is committed to continuous improvement and quality management practices. By using the SchemeWise website, you consent to the data practices described in this statement which support our feedback and complaints processes.

When you sign a service agreement with SchemeWise we will give you a ‘customer handbook’ (if available) which tells you how to provide feedback, compliments, complaints or raise an issue of concern.  It is important you keep the handbook as it also provides other details for who else you can talk too and other important SchemeWise information about your service(s).

SchemeWise feedback categories

SchemeWise offers four basic types of feedback from general but also covering compliment, complaints, critical or near miss incidents, accidents, or risk and safety issues.  They are  variable in the one form and all you need to do is choose which one of the four (4) types and click to add the various options – they are quick and easy to use. The four (4) types are explained below:

1. Feedback

Is the process of providing information about your experience – all feedback is valuable. 

SchemeWise seeks to work to each customer’s specific and individual requirements in our practice of person-centred servicing. However, a complaint made AFTER a service is ended can only be treated as feedback as we are made unable to address an issue any further. Our preference is to work with people BEFORE they cancel their service to ensure we can investigate any concerns and take any corrective actions which may assist our service delivery to work as best as possible for each customer. 

Examples:

I liked that you got back to me quickly  OR   thanks for helping me.

2. Compliments

Compliments are the best, but they can sometimes not be as vocal as other types of feedback! Compliments can be about a SchemeWise service or any other support or service you utilise which SchemeWise manages on your behalf.  If your compliment is about a third party we can also pass it along for you. 

Examples:

I really enjoy the way your support coordination service works.  You kept me informed, and the process provided me great information for my decision-making.

3. Complaints 

Sometimes things may not go as you expect – but we do hope that NEVER happens!  If you do have a complaint about SchemeWise or any other service provider, SchemeWise is here to help.  You can expect us to take your complaint seriously, and work in a professional manner to address your concern.  When you make a complaint, it helps us improve the way we do things for you and for others.  If you don’t tell us something is wrong then we may not know how you are feeling.  Making a complaint is your right, and we respect that.

If we can’t resolve a complaint to your satisfaction we will tell you where else you can complain to in either the ACT or NSW.  This is because SchemeWise is an open organisation, and we are happy for your complaint to be made to other authoritative parties who can look at what we have done and help us both find a reasonable solution.

That’s our guarantee to you!

Examples:

You don’t communicate things to me very well  OR  I don’t like that it take so long for you to get back to me.

4. Issues of Concern

An issue of concern is when an incident, accident, near miss, risk or safety issue arises that puts a customer and/or service/support provider at risk.  Anyone can lodge an issue of concern about a SchemeWise customer, about SchemeWise itself, or about other parties (services and supports).  If you believe there is an issue of safety or abuse than an ‘Issue of Concern’ report is also the approach to use to let us know. Our people can also make an internal concern report about things or problems they have experienced – if this occurs we will generally reach out for a conversation to make sure you and others are safe.

Our people are also mandatory reporters (child safety) and voluntary reporters (vulnerable adults and elder safety) and a concerns report may be issued externally where a SchemeWise officer feels a reasonable safety risk or other concern is likely to exist.  When we do this we usually work with the customer and the mainstream agency we raised a report with. Our usual intent is to develop a safety plan which helps improve any situation (if reuqired) and clarifies actions if certain things happen.

Examples:

There was an accident when I went to a certain place.  One of my providers scares me.  My home is unsafe.

Ways to report an issue

You can report an issue in person, at any time, to a SchemeWise officer.  We will take your report seriously and will tell you the actions we will follow from that point.  Verbal reports are added to our reporting system.

You can report an issue by phone on 1300 785 567. Phone reports will be added to our reporting system also.

You can also report an issue online at our website by clicking this link.  When you click this link you will arrive at our Feedback page where you can select the right form for you and then fill in the details of your issue.  Once submitted an email will be sent back to you with the details you provided (you record) and we will also be told about your issue.

What happens next – timeframes

You should be aware that while SchemeWise will not limit the ways you can provide any kind of feedback to us.  However, SchemeWise preferred method of corresponding with you is via email unless you tell us otherwise.  This is preferred simply so that we can track responses for lawful reporting purposes.  If we call you we will also follow up with an email of our conversation and any agreements we made so that you have a way of knowing or clarifying what was said. This ensures everyone has a common understanding of the concern or issue and what is being done to fix it.

In general the following timeframes apply, and we will do our best to keep these.  However, there can be unforeseen circumstances and we will at least tell you there is a delay if one occurs.

Response to initial verbal, phone or email issue = 2 business days.  Our standard business days operate Monday to Thursday each week.  Example: If you lodge feedback on a Monday we will respond on Wednesday.  If you lodge feedback on a Thursday we will respond the next Tuesday.

Timeframe to address an issue = 21-30 business days. This is from the date you bought an issue to our attention (by submitting a form or calling us).  We will try very hard to keep to this timeframe. We will usually undertake an investigation and talk to any other parties involved so that we understand the matter and collect any other relevant information.  We generally aim to settle most matters within 21 days or less, some will take a bit longer if they are more complex matters.  SchemeWise will keep you updated on our progress along the way.

If it is not possible to resolve your issue in the above timeframe we will tell you how long we think it will take.  If we cannot resolve your issue at all we will tell you this too and where you can go next.  

SchemeWise is also a mandatory reporter and any issue of concern around safety, abuse or accidents which may be intentional will be passed along to the relevant authorities within a business day.

Privacy & Confidentiality

No matter which issue you wish to highlight to us, you can rest assured it will be treated in private and confidentiality.  We will not share your issue report with anyone else unless we are required to do so under a law.  For this reason, to help us address any type of concern you have we always ask that you provide us your name, and email address and a phone or mobile number.  This helps us contact you to get things sorted out quickly.

SchemeWise collects personally identifiable information (such as name, email, address, and contact telephone number) and other impersonal metrics unique to you (such the type and nature of a concern). This is required under law by the NDIS for its auditing purposes.  We will not disclose any personally identifiable information though unless a law requires us to do so.  To avoid personal information disclosures your information is generally depersonalised and aggregated – into the above four form types and rated as received, in progress, actioned, closed, or unresolved.

The information collected is also used by SchemeWise for operation purposes and to maintain service quality. 

SchemeWise is not responsible for the privacy statements or contents on other websites outside our own. To learn more about SchemeWise privacy policy and how it applies to you please click here

Contact information

SchemeWise welcomes your comments regarding this policy. Comments can be left by phoning 1300 785 567 or emailing SchemeWise using the online contact form.