It is very important for Filo Heartbeat to employ staff that are fit for the job, have appropriate qualifications, the skills and experience to ensure the health and welfare needs of our clients are met.

Staff are required to have a full interview, undergo enhanced Access NI or police check, and may only commence employment when this has been received, together with satisfactory references.

A list of current staff and their qualifications is available on request and in the office. The staff allocated to support you will be chosen in order to match their skills with your needs, and also to minimise traveling distances in order to support good time attendance.

In addition to the direct support staff, the Registered Manager is employed on a full-time basis. In certain circumstances the Manager may be included within the staffing levels described.

Staffing levels may be changed at the discretion of the Manager if there are particular needs.

Filo Heartbeat International Ltd is also staffed by an out-of-hours team which means that you can talk directly to us 24/7.

New employees are inducted within 12 weeks of employment. We manage and train our employees with the aim that all of our carers achieve high standard of skills.

All employees receive annual training in health and safety competencies such as moving and handling and infection control, as well as Safeguarding Adults, Mental Capacity Act, medication administration and a range of other skills.

Confidentiality

All staff must adhere to Filo Heartbeat’s privacy and confidentiality policy, at all times. Every staff member must be vigilant regarding the keeping or agreed disclosure of any private information in order to protect the wellbeing of others.

Complaints

In certain situations, it is unavoidable that we will not please everyone all the time.  Filo Heartbeat believes that every compliment and complaint received is a way for us to know what should be retained, changed and improved. We practice an ‘open-door policy’ wherein we always welcome all queries and concerns so they may be heard and addressed.

A formal escalation policy is implemented to ensure all complaints are acted upon, investigated and reported back within specified timeframes.

We encourage service users to instigate the complaints procedure whenever they feel that this is necessary. We do not wish to confine complaints to major issues. It is our policy that all matters which disturb or upset a service user should be reported, recorded, and corrective action should be taken. Only in that way can we work towards meeting our aim of continuously improving our service. No individual will be victimised for making a complaint.

A response will be provided within 72 hours of a complaint being made and a final reply provided within 28 days.

If a complaint is upheld, you will receive a written apology, appropriate action will be taken to rectify the complaint, and you will be informed what that action is.

Service users are entitled to involve an impartial third party in the complaint procedure if they wish so.

Service users and their representatives may take their complaints to persons in authority outside the agency. For service users funded all or in part by Regulation Quality and improvement Authority, complaints may, in the first instance, be directed to them. For privately funded clients, a range of advocacy services are available locally and they will be happy to help you deal with the complaint.

1. Complaints raised by Client/Service user and agency worker
   • The client should raise the concern/complaint immediately with the agency worker and where possible investigate and try and resolve locally
   • If the matter is not resolved or is of a serious nature then the client should contact Filo Heartbeat International Ltd
   • If the agency worker has a concern/complaint then they should raise it immediately with the client/Nurse-In-Charge. If it cannot be resolved then the agency worker should contact Filo Heartbeat International Ltd for advice
   • All complaints will be acknowledged within 3 working days
   • We aim to respond fully to complaints within 28 days to address concerns and let the complainant know of any actions taken as a result. Where this is not possible, complainants will be kept informed of any delays.
   • Filo Heartbeat International Ltd shall ensure that in the event of the complaint being against an agency worker that the agency worker is fully informed of complaints relating to him/her. The agency worker shall be entitled to receive a copy of the complaint
   • The agency worker will be afforded the opportunity to state his/her version of events and will be given 7 days to respond to Filo Heartbeat International Ltd. in writing
   • The agency worker may be represented by their professional body or trade union at a meeting to investigate the complaint

In the event of a serious issue and complaint, you should contact the RQIA and they can be contacted at:

9^th floor Riverside Tower
5 Lanyon Place
Belfast
BT1 3BT
Telephone number: 02890517500