Comments, compliments and complaints Expand We hope that everyone who uses our services has a positive experience. However, we recognise that unfortunately sometimes things do go wrong. Also, there is always room for improvement! Our compliments, comments and complaints process enables those who use our services to tell us about things that we do well or things that have gone wrong. This feedback helps us to put things right, learn and improve. To request a full copy of the MHM Compliments, Comments and Complaints Policy please email [email protected] or contact us on 0191 516 3500. How can I give a compliment or a comment? If you think we’ve done something well or you have an idea about how we could improve, we’d love to hear about it. There are lots of different ways to give us a compliment or comment. You can: Tell a member of staff; Telephone us on 0191 516 3500; Contact us through our website using the online contact form; Email us at [email protected]; Talk to Jane, our CEO Write to us at Mental Health Matters, Avalon House, St Catherine’s Court, Sunderland SR5 3XJ; or How can I make a complaint? If you want to tell us about something you think we have done wrong or something that you are dissatisfied with then please make a complaint. There are lots of different ways to make a complaint. You can: Tell a member of staff; Telephone us on 0191 516 3500; Contact us through our website using the online contact form Email us at [email protected]; Email Jane Hughes, our CEO Write to the Complaints Coordination Team, Mental Health Matters, Avalon House, St Catherine’s Court, Sunderland SR5 3XJ. If you need some help to make a complaint, or you would like someone to make a complaint for you, like a family member, friend or advocate, just let us know and we will help you to get the support you need. To help you make a complaint we have developed a Complaint Form. To download the form please click here. How will my complaint be dealt with? All complaints we receive are listened to and taken seriously. Where possible your complaint will be resolved immediately by your local team. However, if you wish for your complaint to be managed formally or your complaint is of a serious nature, then it will be managed by the MHM Complaints Coordination Team. The Complaints Coordination Team will let you know that they have received your complaint within one working day and they will aim for it to be resolved within a maximum of 28 days. We guarantee that you will not be treated unfairly as a result of making a complaint.
Equality and diversity Expand MHM are fully committed to complying with the duties set out within the Equality Act 2010. However, we do not see equality as just a legal duty, but also a moral one. Ensuring everyone is treated equally and diversity is valued is central to our vision and embedded within our values. To ensure MHM is a fair and equal organisation, we work to: Eliminate discrimination; Promote equality of opportunity; Positively recognise and value individual difference; and Treat everyone with dignity and respect. To request a full copy of the MHM Equality and Diversity Policy please email [email protected] or contact us on 0191 516 3500.
Safeguarding Expand MHM believe that everyone has the right to: Live their lives free from fear, violence, harassment, humiliation, degradation, abuse and neglect, and Live an independent lifestyle and make their own choices, even if some of those choices involve a degree of risk. We are fully committed to ensuring that all those who access or come into contact with our services are supported to understand and exercise this right. Our approach to safeguarding has been developed directly in line with the Care Act 2014 and informed by the act’s six principles which under pin all adult safeguarding work: Empowerment: we will support and encourage people to be in control and make their own decisions throughout the safeguarding process. We will support and encourage individuals to choose how involved they want to be. Prevention: we will do what we can to keep people safe and take action before harm occurs. Proportionality: we will always work in the best interests of the client and take the least intrusive response appropriate to the risk. Protection: we will help and support people to report abuse. Partnership: we will work effectively with our Local Safeguarding Adults Boards and other organisations to protect the welfare of individuals. We will not allow organisational boundaries to get in the way of this. Accountability: we understand our role and responsibilities with regard to safeguarding and we will ensure our staff understand and deliver theirs. To request a full copy of the MHM Safeguarding Adults Policy please email [email protected] or contact us on 0191 516 3500.
Data Protection Expand MHM are committed to ensuring that any personal data we receive or collect is: Used fairly and lawfully; Safeguarded; and Processed in accordance with applicable data protection law. We recognise that under current data protection law individuals have certain rights with respect to their personal data and we are fully committed to ensuring these rights are upheld. In summary these rights include: Right to access: the right to access all the data we hold about you. To find out more about how to request access to your data please see below. Right to rectification: the right to have your personal data corrected or completed if you believe it is incorrect/incomplete. To find out more about how to request for your data to be corrected/completed please see below. Right to erasure / right to be forgotten: the right to request that we erase all data we hold about you (as long as there is no other requirement to keep the information). Right to data portability:the right to request that we copy or transfer the data we hold about you from us to another service provider. Right to restrict use of personal data: the right to request that we suspend our use of your personal information in certain circumstances. Right to complain: the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you consider we have not used your personal information in accordance with data protection law. Right to withdraw your consent: where we have relied upon consent to process your data you have the right to withdraw it. How do I make a request to access or correct my personal data? Talk to a member of staff; Telephone us on 0191 516 3500; Email us at [email protected]; or Write to the Data Protection Officer, Mental Health Matters, Avalon House, St Catherine’s Court, Sunderland SR5 3XJ. What information does MHM need to process my request? We aim to make it as easy as possible for you to access or correct your data. However, in order to ensure we do it properly and securely, there is some information we will need from you. If you make the request over the phone or in writing, you will need to provide valid proof of your identity. This helps us to ensure you are who you say you are and we are releasing the data to the right person. You can do this by going along to the service you’re accessing or by sending us a copy of your ID (e.g. passport or driving license). You will also need to ensure you provide us with a description of the data you would like to access/correct. Who can make a request? You can make the request yourself or someone can make the request on your behalf, as long as you give your permission for them to do so. Do I have to pay a fee? No, unless there are exceptional circumstances, your request will be processed for free. How long will it take? Once we have all the information we need we will process the request as quickly as possible. At a maximum this will be within one calendar month. What if I want you to release my data to someone else? That’s no problem, you just need to tell us who and provide us with their contact details. National data opt-out policy Under the national data opt-out policy, if you are a client of one of MHM’s Talking Matters services you also have the right to choose if you do not want your confidential patient information to be used for purposes beyond your individual care and treatment, i.e. for research and planning. Details of how to make that choice are available on page 12 of the MHM Talking Matters (IAPT) Services Privacy Notice for Clients If you have any questions about the way your personal data is being handled by us, please contact our Data Protection Officer at [email protected] or call us on 0191 516 3500. If you would like to make a complaint about the way your personal data has been used by us, please click here. To request a full copy of the MHM Data Protection Policy or the MHM Privacy Policy please email [email protected] or contact us on 0191 516 3500. Full copies of our Client Privacy Notices are available to download here: MHM Services Privacy Notice for ClientsMHM Talking Matters (IAPT) Services Privacy Notice for Clients