Complaints Policy

Scope

Grievances and complaints about any decisions of the Educational Advisory Committee (EAC) or the NZSRHECT Board in regard to the Advanced Training in Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH), Membership, Continuing Professional Development (CPD) or any other issues.

Purpose

This policy outlines NZCSRH’s approach to managing grievances and complaints. The processes for complaints are outlined in the NZCSRH Rules and Regulations section A5.

This policy does not provide an appeals route for training progress or assessment decisions relating to the SRH Advanced Training. Procedures for appeals are described in the NZCSRH Rules and Regulations section B5 and the NZSRHECT Board Appeals Policy.

This policy ensures that all matters of concern are given an opportunity to be heard, verified and resolved as part of a continuous improvement process.

Detail

Principles

The following principles will be used in dealing with grievances:

Responsiveness: The grievance will be dealt with professionally, sensitively and as quickly as is practicable.
Confidentiality: Details regarding the issue or incident will not be distributed beyond those affected and/or part of the decision-taking body. All reasonable steps will be taken to ensure that details are not revealed.
Right of response: Any trainee or person against whom a grievance has been laid will be notified and provided with an opportunity to respond.
Fairness: Trainees and those against whom a grievance has been laid will have a right to a fair hearing.
Impartiality: All reasonable steps will be taken to ensure decisions are based on objective evidence.

Grounds for complaint

Complaints may be laid in relation to any aspect of the advanced training programme and its administration (except for appeals as above), the application process for any category of membership, or any aspect of the CPD programme, where the complainant believes that:

They have been unfairly treated.
Established processes have not been followed.
An administrative error has been made.
Programme quality standards have not been met.
A conflict has arisen between the complainant and their supervisor, the complainant and the EAC or the complainant and a third party.

Workplace Placement Disputes

NZCSRH has no direct right of involvement in matters relating to a trainee’s employment. However, if the issue relates to the workplace as a site for training, and the trainee has been unable to resolve the issue themselves, they must inform the EAC as soon as possible. This is so that the issue can be resolved, and the site maintains its accreditation for teaching purposes.

Lodging a complaint

Complaints about the Advanced Training Programme and its administration should be addressed to the EAC. All other complaints, including where conflict has arisen between the complainant and the EAC should be addressed to the NZSRHECT Board in accordance with the NZCSRH Rules and Regulations section A5.4.

A complaint can be raised as an informal “initial concern” or as a formal complaint. A formal complaint must be received within six months of the issue arising in accordance with the NZCSRH Rules and Regulations section A5.6.

Resolutions and Records

At each step a formal record of any findings, discussion and resolution will be taken. The record will be attached to the EAC files and not the trainee’s file.
The complainant will be kept informed if timeframes are exceeded and given the reasons.
At each step the complainant will be formally notified that the issue has been considered, and the outcomes reached by the mediating party.
If the complaint raised was about another person, the EAC, fellow or ad hoc committee are not required to provide detail to the complainant regarding any specific action taken except in so far as the action directly affects the complainant.

Disputes

Any dispute in this regard will be referred to the NZSRHECT Board for mediation, including the option of external mediation.