Complaints
& Concerns

Our approach

Complaints aren't betrayal.

Veterans Backbone wants people to tell us when something has gone wrong, something feels unsafe or we have failed to meet the standards people should reasonably expect from us.

Complaints and concerns can help us identify problems, correct mistakes and improve how the organisation works.

You should not be treated badly, excluded or disadvantaged simply because you raised a genuine concern in good faith.

If we're wrong, we'd rather know.

What can you raise?

Pretty much anything we're responsible for.

You might want to contact us about:

• The way you have been treated
• Support you received from Veterans Backbone
• Something you believe we failed to do
• The behaviour of somebody representing Veterans Backbone
• A volunteer, staff member or trustee
• An RV Crew activity or community issue
• A Veterans Backbone event
• A licensed Veterans Backbone site
• Accessibility
• Privacy or the handling of personal information
• Safeguarding
• Anything else you believe needs to be looked at

Sometimes it's simple

Not every problem needs a committee and seventeen forms.

Some problems can be resolved quickly through a conversation, clarification or correction.

If you feel comfortable doing so, you can raise the issue directly with the person you are dealing with or contact Veterans Backbone and explain what has happened.

You do not have to attempt informal resolution first if the issue is serious, involves safeguarding, concerns the person you would normally speak to or you simply do not feel comfortable doing so.

Raising a complaint

Tell us what happened.

You can contact Veterans Backbone through our contact page and explain that you want to raise a complaint or concern.

It helps if you can include:

• Your name and contact details
• What happened
• When it happened
• Who was involved, if relevant
• Anything you have already done to try to resolve it
• Any relevant documents, messages or information
• What you would like us to consider doing about it

You do not need to write it like a solicitor. Just explain the problem as clearly as you can.

What happens next?

Somebody actually looks at it.

When a complaint or concern is received, Veterans Backbone should consider:

• What the complaint is about
• Whether anybody may currently be at risk
• Who is appropriate to review the matter
• Whether additional information is needed
• Whether another policy or process also applies
• What action, if any, is appropriate

The person handling the complaint should, as far as reasonably possible, be able to consider it fairly.

Where the complaint concerns the person who would normally deal with it, somebody else should review the matter.

Fairness

Everybody involved gets treated like a human.

Complaints should be considered fairly and without automatically assuming either side is right.

Where appropriate, the person complained about should have an opportunity to understand the concern and provide relevant information.

Decisions should be based on the information reasonably available rather than rumours, friendships or somebody's position within Veterans Backbone.

Possible outcomes

Fix what needs fixing.

Depending on the circumstances, the outcome of a complaint may include:

• An explanation or clarification
• An apology
• Correcting inaccurate information
• Changing how something is handled
• Reviewing a decision
• Additional guidance, training or supervision
• Reviewing a policy or procedure
• Safeguarding action
• Action relating to a licensed site
• No further action where the complaint is not supported by the available information

Not every complaint will result in the outcome somebody hoped for, but it should still be considered properly.

Safeguarding concerns

Some things can't wait for the normal complaints process.

If a complaint suggests that somebody may be at risk of abuse, neglect, exploitation or serious harm, it should be considered as a safeguarding matter.

Safeguarding action may need to happen before the wider complaint has been fully investigated.

Where somebody is in immediate danger, contact the emergency services.

Privacy

Complaints aren't public entertainment.

Information about complaints and concerns should be handled appropriately and shared only where there is a legitimate reason.

Absolute confidentiality cannot always be guaranteed, particularly where information needs to be shared to investigate a concern, protect somebody or meet a legal obligation.

Personal information should still be handled in accordance with Veterans Backbone's privacy and data responsibilities.

Licensed sites

Local autonomy still comes with standards.

A complaint about a licensed Veterans Backbone site should normally be handled at the appropriate local level where it can be dealt with safely and fairly.

However, serious concerns involving safeguarding, organisational integrity, repeated failures or matters that cannot reasonably be resolved locally may need to be considered by the umbrella organisation.

Any intervention should be proportionate, documented and limited to what is genuinely required.

Local independence doesn't mean nobody is accountable.

What if you disagree?

Say so.

If you believe your complaint has not been considered properly, tell us why.

Where reasonably possible, a review should be considered by somebody who was not responsible for the original decision.

There may also be circumstances where an external organisation, regulator, statutory service or other body is more appropriate for the issue being raised.

Veterans Backbone will not prevent somebody from approaching an appropriate external body where they are entitled to do so.

One boundary

Complaining is fine. Abuse isn't.

Raising a complaint, disagreeing with us or being angry about something does not automatically make somebody unreasonable.

However, threatening, abusive, discriminatory or deliberately harassing behaviour does not have to be accepted.

Veterans Backbone may set reasonable communication boundaries where behaviour becomes abusive or persistently disruptive, while still ensuring that genuine concerns are appropriately considered.

Learn from it

Otherwise what's the bloody point?

Appropriate records should be kept of significant complaints, decisions and actions taken.

Patterns in complaints can highlight problems that may not be obvious when incidents are viewed individually.

Where a complaint identifies a genuine weakness, Veterans Backbone should consider what needs to change rather than simply closing the complaint and moving on.

How We Keep Our Shit Together

The other important bits.