INTRODUCTION

Complaints arise in organization for different reasons. Organisations also react to complaints in different ways. Feedback is critical elements in the communication process. Complaints are also forms of feedback which serve as a guide for monitoring continuous improvement. For our institution to ensure continuous efficient, effective and prompt service delivery will, we adopt the following complaints /grievances redress mechanism procedures:

(A) WHO TO COMPLAIN TO

The hospital Patients, Patient Relatives clients and customers, can lodge their complaints or grievances through the following media:

• Through the hospital website-www.fethi.gov.ng.
• Through the hospital e-mail address:  admin@fethi.gov.ng.
• Through the SERVICOM Nodal Officer mobile number 09062386372
• Through the SERVICOM Complaint Desk Officer mobile number……………
• Through the Supervisor, Clinical Information Desk Officer mobile number……………..
• Through the SERVICOM Unit office, Room 20 Administrative Building of the Hospital for the attention of “Customer Relation/Complaints Desk Officer”.
• Through the Service Windows/Points where the complaints/grievance emanated from and should be forwarded to SERVICOM Unit office.

(B) HOW TO COMPLAIN

    For every complaints/grievances to be accepted, the complaints must be willing to do the followings;

• Fill the Complaints/Grievance Form to document the complaints.
• The complainants must be willing to accept the responsibilities for the Complaints Lodged.
• The issue of anonymous complaints may not be entertained

(C) ACTION (s) TO BE TAKEN

To every complaints lodged by a complainants the frontline staff and/or Customer Relation/Complaints Desk officer attending to such should endeavor to take the following basic steps to resolve the complaints using the acronym BLAST.

BELIEVE [B]

• Establish eye contact
• Value his/her experience
• Regard it as “It is the truth”
• Resolve “It is to be redressed

LISTEN [L] 

• Give patient hearing, be relaxed, calm and show empathy.
• Avoid being defensive-remember it is not an accusation but an opportunity.
• Do not take the criticism personal.
• Do not assume
• Try to understand where the problem lies.

APOLOGISE [A]

• Even if the disservice/service failure is not your fault.
• If the name of the customer is known, address him/her by name.

SOLVE/SATISFY [S]

• When it is felt that the customer has vent out his feelings
• Give assurance that the person’s grievances are understood.
• Tell him/her what you can do, not what you cannot.
• Make the customer a part of your solution, not a part of the problem.
• If you do not have a solution, do not lie
• Assure him/her that you will refer to competent authority and get back as soon as possible.
• If an agreement to the solution is reached, act quickly before the clients/customer’s change their mind.
• Follow up-take a follow up action, inform customer, make sincere effort.

THANK [T]

• Express your gratitude to the customer for pointing it out to you.
• Praise him if he comes up with suggestion/idea.

 (D) TIME LIMITS FOR RESPONSE

In order to resolve the complaints/grievances lodged, the frontline staff or Customer Relation /Complaints Desk officer should interact with the Complainants on how to go about this:

• The Desk officer and the complainants should agree on the minimum amount of time needed to investigate and resolve the complaints lodged.
• The Desk officer and the complainants should share contact particulars like phone numbers, e-mail address and other contact information so that the complainants can be given latest information about the development on the complaints lodged.

(E) REDRESS AVAILABLE

 The followings could be adopted in redressing complaints;

• Candid and tenable explanation should be given to customer depending on the nature of their complaints.
• A formal apology could be given as appropriate to the case at hand.
• In the case of service failure, the service may be repeated or money can be refunded as the case may be.
• All complaints must be heard whether significant or insignificant.
• Appropriate disciplinary sanctions could be met out to erring members of staff.   

PATIENTS’ COMPLAINTS/GRIEVANCES FORM

1. Name of the Complainant/Patient  ——————————————–

• Patient ward/clinic(s) visited  ——————–

• Telephone Number ————————————————————- 

• Contact Address  —————————————————————-

———————————————————————————–

• Nature of complaints/grievances  ————————————————————————

————————————————————————————————————–

————————————————————————————————————–

————————————————————————————————————-

• How do you want the complaints/grievances to be resolved / redressed?

————————————————————————————————————–

————————————————————————————————————–

————————————————————————————————————–

————————————————————————————————————–

• Signature of Complainant  ————————————-Date———————-

­

OFFICE USE

1. Treatment by Customer Complaints/Grievances Desk Officer  ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

• Remarks by Nodal/Focal Officer————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–

• Dated ————————————————————————–