Policy

WHV welcomes complaints and feedback, as they assist us to identify changes that can be made improve our services and strengthen trust. The guiding principles of our complaints and feedback management system are accessibility, visibility, responsiveness, confidentiality, impartiality, no detriment and continuous improvement.

Accessibility: Feedback or complaints can be made in person, by phone, email, online or in writing. WHV will make reasonable adjustments to support people with disabilities, language barriers, or other access needs.

Visibility: Information about how and where to make a complaint or provide feedback is published across all of WHV’s website and in service areas.

Responsiveness: Complaints or feedback are acknowledged within 5 working days of receipt of the complaint and resolved as quickly as possible.

Confidentiality: All complaints or feedback are handled confidentially in line with privacy laws.

Impartiality: Complaints or feedback are investigated objectively, with no conflict of interest.

No detriment: WHV ensures complainants and staff are protected from retaliation. Support is available for those affected by the complaints process.

Continuous Improvement: Complaints are logged in WHV’s quality management system. Quarterly reviews identify trends and inform service improvements. Serious complaints are reported to the Board.

This policy applies to all persons with formal responsibilities for WHV including:

• board and committee members
• employees, whether full-time, part-time, fixed-term or casual
• members of organisational and project-specific advisory groups
• volunteers
• student placements.

It covers service delivery, staff and volunteer conduct, organisational decisions or policies and complaint handling itself.

Procedure

Step 1: Making a complaint or providing feedback

Feedback and complaints can be submitted:

• verbally to any WHV staff member
• by phone: +61 3 9664 9300
• by email: [email protected]
• by our website contact form: https://www.whv.org.au/contact-us/
• in writing to WHV’s office: GPO Box 1160, Melbourne, Victoria, 3001

WHV encourages feedback and complaints to be made as soon as possible after the issue arises. WHV will require the following information about the feedback or complaint.

• The nature of the feedback or complaint and who the feedback or complaint is being made about
• Date of feedback or complaint

Step 2: Acknowledgement

Complaints are acknowledged within 5 working days of receipt of the complaint or feedback. Anonymous feedback and complaints are accepted, though investigation may be limited if WHV is unable to contact the complainant to seek further clarification of the issue or incident that has occurred.

Step 3: Investigation

The feedback or complaint is reviewed by the relevant manager or Senior Quality and Delivery Officer. Investigations are conducted impartially and respectfully. If the complaint or feedback involves serious misconduct, it will be escalated to the Chief Operating Officer or an external body.

Step 4: Resolution

A response is provided within 30 working days. If more time is needed, WHV will inform the complainant of the delay and revised timeline. Outcomes may include an apology, explanation, corrective action, policy change or other action as appropriate.

Step 5: Appeal

If the complainant is unsatisfied with the response they receive, they may request a review by WHV’s CEO. If the complainant is still unsatisfied with how their complaint was dealt with by WHV, they can contact external bodies including:

Department of Health – by phone: 1300 884 707, or website: https://www.health.vic.gov.au/contact-us/complaints-about-health-services

Victorian Health Complaints Commissioner – by phone: 1300 582 113, or website: https://hcc.vic.gov.au/make-complaint

Victorian Ombudsman – by phone: +61 3 9613 6222 or regional 1800 806 314, or website: https://www.ombudsman.vic.gov.au/complaints/