Complaints Policy

1. Introduction

Nova Care Consultants Ltd is committed to providing high-quality private health and social care assessment services. We recognise that there may be occasions when our services fall short of expectations, and we welcome feedback to help us maintain and improve our standards. If you become unhappy or concerned about our service, we will do our best to resolve the matter. Making a complaint will never negatively affect the care or service you receive from us.

2. Purpose

This policy outlines how complaints will be handled fairly, efficiently, and effectively. Our complaint management system aims to:

• Enable us to respond to issues raised by complainants in a timely and cost-effective way

• Boost public confidence in our administrative process

• Provide information that can be used to deliver quality improvements in our services, staff, and complaint handling

3. Who Can Make a Complaint

• Service users

• Family members or representatives of service users

• Professional partners

• Members of the public affected by our services

4. How to Make a Complaint

Complaints can be submitted through the following channels:

• Email: info@novacare.org.uk

• Post: Office 1, 8-9 Rodney Road, Portsmouth, PO4 8BF

5. Complaint Handling Process

Stage 1: Initial investigation

• We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 5 working days

• Where possible, we will carry out a short investigation and may be able to provide an initial response within 5 working days, alongside your acknowledgement of the complaint.

• If we are unable to resolve your complaint at this stage, we will inform you and move to Stage 2

Stage 2: Full investigation

• All complaints will be investigated by a senior member of staff who is not directly involved in the matter

• We will gather all relevant information and speak to the staff member(s) involved

• We will maintain confidentiality throughout the process

• A detailed written response will be provided to you within 30 working days of moving to this stage

Stage 3: Appeal

• If you are not satisfied with our response, you may request an appeal within 30 days of receiving it

• An independent review will be conducted by another senior member of staff or a director who has not previously been involved in the complaint process. If a complaint is about a director, another director will investigate.

• A final written response will be provided within 30 working days of receiving your appeal

6. Unreasonable or Vexatious Complaints

We are committed to dealing with all complaints openly and fairly. However, where a complaint has been investigated (at any stage), and no new information is provided, we reserve the right to close further correspondence on that matter. We will always notify the complainant in writing if we intend to take this step and explain our reasons for doing so.

7. External Escalation

If you remain dissatisfied after exhausting our internal process, you may escalate your complaint to an external body if this relates to a health or care professional. Please note that some regulators will only investigate matters of fitness to practise, and they may not have the power to investigate a private limited company:

• Social Work England — for social work services in England

• Social Care Wales — for social work services in Wales

• Health and Care Professions Council — for occupational therapists in England and Wales

• Nursing and Midwifery Council — for registered nurses in England and Wales

8. Recording and Learning

All complaints will be:

• Recorded in our complaints register

• Reviewed quarterly by the Board of Directors to identify trends

• Used to inform and improve our service delivery

9. Support for Complainants

We recognise that making a complaint can be difficult, and we will do our best to make the process as straightforward as possible. We can provide:

• Information in alternative formats upon request

• Access to independent advocacy services

• Face-to-face meetings when appropriate

10. Data Protection

All complaint information will be handled sensitively and in accordance with UK data protection requirements. Our ICO registration number is ZB213471.

11. Policy Review

This policy will be reviewed annually or in response to:

• Changes in legislation or guidance

• Changes in our services

• Identified improvements in complaint handling

Last Updated: April 2026 by the Board of Directors.