1. Policy
1.1 Care and Support at Clubhouse Support Ltd
Clubhouse Support Ltd provides care and support to persons with a range of needs in a person-centred, safe, and lawful way.
All staff must follow the guidance within this policy and the person's support and communication Plan, ensuring that assessed needs, reasonable adjustments and individual preferences are met.
Every person is treated equally and with dignity and respect
Care and support are tailored to individual needs, preferences and desired outcomes
Staff follow legal, regulatory, and professional guidance at all times
Person-centred approaches are used to promote independence, choice, and wellbeing
To support this approach, staff will also follow the policies and procedures below where applicable:
Person-Centred Care and Supporting Planning
Safeguarding Adults
Raising Concerns, Freedom to Speak Up and Whistleblowing
Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005
Deprivation Of Liberty Safeguards
Consent to Care, Support and Treatment
Equality, Diversity and Human Rights
Overarching Medicines Management
Positive Behaviour Support Including Challenging Behaviour
Restrictive Practices Including Restraint and Physical Interventions
Sex, Sexuality and Relationships
This list is not exhaustive and there will be additional policies and procedures in place to support specific person needs. Staff must seek clarification from their line manager or the Operations Director if there is any uncertainty.
Staff supporting any specialist area of need will receive appropriate induction and training. They will complete competency assessments, where required, to meet the needs of persons as outlined in the Training Policy and Procedure at Clubhouse Support Ltd.
To ensure persons receive person-centred care and support from Clubhouse Support Ltd, staff must adhere to the following
Supporting People with a Learning Disability
Staff must support people with a learning disability in line with this policy and the individual care and support plan. Staff must follow any assessed needs, reasonable adjustments, and personal preferences, which include:
Communicating in ways the person understands
Supporting choice, dignity and independence
Ensuring care and support are compassionate and outcome focused
In addition, staff will also follow these policies:
Access to NHS Services
Advocacy
Co-Production
Specialist Needs
Supporting those with a Learning Disability
Supporting Communication and Sensory NeedsPositive Risk Taking
Trauma Informed Care and Support
Supporting People with Autism
Staff will ensure that individuals with autism are supported according to their care and support plan, respecting their sensory, communication, and social needs. This includes:
Following individual communication and sensory care and support profiles
Maintaining structure and predictability
Involving and including people important to the individual
Making any reasonable adjustments in line with the Equality Act 2010
In addition, staff will also follow these policies:
Access to NHS Services
Adults with Autism
Advocacy
Co-Production
Specialist Needs
Supporting Communication and Sensory Needs
Positive Risk Taking
Trauma Informed Care and Support
Supporting People with Sensory Impairments
Staff will support people with visual, hearing, or dual sensory impairments as detailed in their care and support plan which should also include:
Using agreed communication methods (e.g. sign language, large print)
Ensuring the environment supports safe access and orientation
Providing specialist equipment or aids as assessed
In addition, staff will also follow these policies:
Specialist Needs
Supporting Communication and Sensory Needs
1.2 Clubhouse Support Ltd Responsibilities and Representatives
The Operations Director of Clubhouse Support Ltd, has overall management responsibility for this policy and procedure and for ensuring the proper governance of Clubhouse Support Ltd.
Clubhouse Support Ltd will ensure that at all times:
The organisation is managed and governed appropriately
Suitable systems are in place to effectively assess, monitor and improve the service
Records are completed accurately and stored safely and securely
That the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 are met
Care and support delivered is consistent, safe and of high-quality.
1.3 Complaints
Clubhouse Support Ltd understands complaints to be an expression of dissatisfaction requiring a response, communicated verbally, electronically, or in writing. Complaints may be made by any person, their family or advocate acting on their behalf, with their consent or in their best interests
Clubhouse Support Ltd takes complaints seriously. We will aim to put things right that have gone wrong and learn lessons to avoid the problem happening again. This policy sets out the framework for how Clubhouse Support Ltd will achieve this. The detail of how Clubhouse Support Ltd will do this will be found in the associated procedures
Clubhouse Support Ltd will comply with legislation, national guidelines, regulation and best practice when managing complaints and suggestions. A systematic approach will be taken with all aspects of complaints and suggestions
Complaints made or concerns raised by staff will be addressed via the grievance process if the complaint or concern relates to them individually, or via the Whistleblowing procedure where a protected disclosure is made
Clubhouse Support Ltd understands its statutory obligations in respect of the Duty of Candour and will ensure it follows the agreed policy and procedure
1.4
Clubhouse Support Ltd will ensure that its complaints and compliments process is fair and transparent and does not discriminate directly or indirectly because of the following:
Age
Being or becoming a transgender person
Being married or in a civil partnership
Being pregnant or on maternity leave
Disability
Race including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin
Religion, belief or lack of religion/belief
Sex
Sexual orientation
The complainant will feel free to complain without fear of reprisal and will be treated with courtesy, respect and compassion. Clubhouse Support Ltd will ensure that the process for how to make a complaint and the feedback given to the complainant are provided in a way that meets the Accessible Information Standard and are in a format that the person can understand.
For persons who require additional support such as an interpreter, advocate or any other support necessary, Clubhouse Support Ltd will acknowledge this and help people receive the support required to be able to complain should they wish.
1.5 Data Protection Complaints
Clubhouse Support Ltd recognises that individuals have the right to raise concerns regarding how their personal information has been collected, used, stored, shared or otherwise processed.
Complaints relating to data protection, confidentiality, privacy, information sharing, subject access requests, consent, data accuracy, information security incidents or any other matter relating to personal information will be managed through this Complaints, Suggestions and Compliments Policy and Procedure.
All data protection complaints will be:
Recorded and acknowledged in line with this procedure
Investigated by an appropriately authorised manager, Data Protection Lead or nominated representative
Managed in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018
Responded to within agreed organisational timescales
Retained as part of the governance and compliance records at Clubhouse Support Ltd
Where a complainant remains dissatisfied following the completion of the complaints process at Clubhouse Support Ltd, they will be informed of their right to raise concerns with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).
1.6 Seeking Views and Engaging with persons
Clubhouse Support Ltd will seek out opportunities to obtain feedback from persons and stakeholders. Clubhouse Support Ltd will act with sensitivity, integrity and professionalism by treating individuals who do complain or make a suggestion with compassion, courtesy and respect. Clubhouse Support Ltd will protect the person's right to confidentiality.
Clubhouse Support Ltd will ensure that alternative methods of communication and support are available so that the complaints and suggestions procedures are accessible for persons who experience difficulties with communication or whose first language is not English.
Staff will undertake training on how to manage complaints in line with their roles and responsibilities.
1.7
Clubhouse Support Ltd understands that it can be difficult to separate a complaint from a concern and, ultimately both require action. Therefore, Clubhouse Support Ltd will follow this policy when there is any dissatisfaction with the service.
1.8
A full record will be held of all complaints and concerns received regardless of the level of seriousness and means of communication. This approach allows an open and transparent culture around raising concerns in the earliest stage to allow resolution. A record of the complaint will also be held in the person's Care file and will be reported in line with contractual or regulatory requirements.
1.9 Safeguarding Concerns
Where a complaint or concern is raised that relates to the person being harmed or likely to be harmed, Clubhouse Support Ltd will follow its Safeguarding Policy and Procedures in addition to the complaints procedures, seeking advice and guidance from the Surrey County Council Safeguarding Adults Team and escalating concerns in line with Surrey County Council procedure.
1.10 Roles and Responsibilities
All Staff
It is acknowledged that all staff working at Clubhouse Support Ltd may find themselves presented with a person wishing to raise a concern or complaint at any time. Therefore, staff need to be able to manage this in a sensitive, structured and timely manner. In order to do this, staff will:
Be trained on induction and as a routine measure to ensure knowledge is embedded, refreshed and understood around the complaints procedure
Have access to the complaints, suggestions and compliments procedure
Understand how to recognise, record and appropriately escalate data protection complaints, confidentiality concerns and information governance issues in accordance with organisational policies and procedures
Be provided with the opportunity to reflect and learn from complaints as a means of developing and driving quality care
Appreciate that any feedback from persons or their representatives that is of concern needs immediate resolution, where possible, to their satisfaction. Support Plans will be updated to reflect the planned changes to support and Operations Director informed of the feedback. Failing to do this may result in a complaint
Be clearly advised that, when presented with a complaint, swift escalation to management is necessary and that purposefully withholding or concealing concerns expressed by persons or their representatives may lead to disciplinary action
Clubhouse Support Ltd has, and continues to develop, an open culture of continuous development which is instilled in everyone who works within the organisation, with a clear ethos of viewing concerns and complaints as opportunities for improvement.
Management Team at Clubhouse Support Ltd
The management team at Clubhouse Support Ltd is responsible for ensuring compliance with this policy, regulations, improvement planning and for having arrangements in place to provide relevant reports and information regarding complaints
The Operations Director is the main point of contact for the receipt, investigation and management of complaints within Clubhouse Support Ltd. However, this may be delegated to a senior member of staff within Clubhouse Support Ltd who holds the experience, knowledge and competence to investigate and manage complaints
Clubhouse Support Ltd will ensure the procedure for raising a complaint is accessible and displayed prominently in Clubhouse Support Ltd, on the website of Clubhouse Support Ltd and in person information and guides. Alternative languages and formats are available on request
1.11 Compliments and Suggestions
Clubhouse Support Ltd welcomes compliments and suggestions and recognises their importance in celebrating and recognising the success of its service and opportunities for improvement. We will engage with a wide range of stakeholders in addition to persons to support service development and improvement. We will share feedback with our staff.
1.12 One Complaint, One Response
Clubhouse Support Ltd will follow the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman best practice (a link to which can be found in the Underpinning Knowledge section of this policy) and, where persons are receiving services from more than one organisation, it will ensure they can make a complaint to anyone and be provided with a single response following a joint investigation.
1.13 Policy Accessibility
Clubhouse Support Ltd understands that some persons may take in and retain information in different ways. To support full understanding and engagement, this policy is available in accessible formats. The ReciteMe tool has various ways of making this policy accessible by providing this policy in:
Audio
Large print
Multiple languages
This policy can also be made available in:
Easy-read versions
Simple-policy view to reduce navigation and complexity
These options are in place to help persons to understand and engage with this policy more easily.