HEARING INSTRUMENT SPECIALISTS SOCIETY
OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
COMPLAINT COMMITTEE
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
INQUIRY PROCESS: POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
1. COMPLAINTS
1.1 Who may make a complaint:
Complaints, concerns or questions may be made to the HISS-BC about a hearing aid dispenser's practise by anyone including patients, clients, colleagues, or individuals within the community. Complaints must be in writing. The HISS-BC Complaints Committee may also initiate an investigation on its own.
1.2 How a complaint is made:
All written complaints are directed to the chair of the Complaints Committee. The Chair will need to know the name of the complainant (the person complaining), their address and telephone number; the name of the hearing aid dispenser they are complaining about and where they work; and detailed information about the complaint.
1.3 Types of complaints:
The Board of Directors will determine what complaints we will and will not accept.
Complaints against a hearing aid dispenser may relate to any of the following:
- Contravention of the Act
- Failure to comply with a limit or condition imposed under the Act
- Professional misconduct
- Competence to practise as a Hearing Aid Dispenser, or
- Complaints, which are beyond our scope will be forwarded to the Board of Hearing Aid dispensers. A letter will go to the complainant letting them know that their letter has been forwarded etc.
1.4 Verbal concerns:
Persons may express a concern verbally to the Chair. This is not a complaint under the Act, but the Chair will assist to resolve the concern.
2. INFORMAL RESOLUTION OF VERBAL CONCERNS
2.1 Resolution of a verbal concern:
When a concern is received over the telephone or verbally in person, the Chair assesses it and resolves it if possible. A concern resolved successfully in this manner might relate, for example, to an issue of miscommunication between client and dispenser or employer.
2.2 Notification of the member of successful resolution:
The chair will notify, with discretion, the Hearing Aid Dispenser involved that a verbal concern was received about them and that it was successfully resolved. The Chair may make suggestions to the Dispenser to help prevent similar situations from occurring in the future.
2.3 An unresolved verbal concern:
If the issue cannot be readily resolved, the Chair explains possible options to the complainant who may choose to leave the issue unresolved, discuss the issue directly with the Dispenser, or make a complaint in writing to the Chair.
3. INITIATION OF THE COMPLAINT PROCESS - A WRITTEN COMPLAINT
3.1 Assessment of a written complaint:
Once a written complaint is received, the Chair reviews and assesses the complaint and makes written recommendations for the Complaint Committee's consideration. The committee will determine if the complaint should go to the Board of Hearing Aid dispensers.
3.2 Clarification of a written complaint:
The Chair may telephone the complainant to discuss the complaint, or request to meet with the complainant to clarify the facts leading to the complaint. During a meeting with the complainant, the Chair will attempt to create an atmosphere of trust and will act in an empathetic, objective manner encouraging the complainant to freely discuss their concerns.
The notes taken by the Chair during the conversation must be verified in writing by the complainant as being a factual record of the conversation. A support person may accompany the complainant to any meeting with the Chair. The role of the support person is to provide moral support to the complainant and not to contribute to the discussion of the complaint. When the complainant does not have a support person available but would like one, the Chair will arrange, with the complainant's agreement, to have a support person present.
3.3 Complaints forwarded to the Complaints Committee:
Within fifteen working days of receiving a written complaint, the Chair delivers a copy via facsimile to the members of the complaints committee, followed by written recommendations as soon as practicable. All identifying information, including names, addresses and so on, will be deleted from the facsimile original to ensure confidentiality.
3.4 Convening the Complaints Committee:
At their next regularly scheduled meeting, or as necessary, the members of the complaints committee convene to review complaints and recommendations delivered to them by the Chair.
4. THE INVESTIGATION PROCESS
4.1 Notification of the member:
The Chair notifies the Hearing Aid Dispenser by telephone and in writing that the HISS-BC has received a complaint about their practise. The member is sent a copy of the complaint made by the complainant or initiated by the Complaints Committee and is asked to provide in writing, within 30 days, any information that would help resolve the complaint or explain the issue.
The Chair will telephone or meet with the member as required. The role of the Chair is to be neutral and objective, and to encourage the member to forward to the Complaints Committee, in writing, any information they consider relevant to the complaint.
The member may choose to have a support person accompany them to any meeting with the Chair. The role of the member's support person is the same as that of the complainant: to provide moral support to the member and not to contribute to the discussion of the complaint. When the member does not have a support person available but would like one, The Chair will arrange to have a support person present, with the member's agreement.
4.2 Notification of member and complainant:
The Hearing Aid Dispenser and the complainant are notified of the progress of the investigation in writing within one month of the start of the investigation and every three months during the investigation.
5. ACTION RESULTING FROM AN INVESTIGATION
5.1 Complaints Committee deliberations:
Members of the Complaints Committee meet to review the written complaint, the Chair's recommendations and the information provided by the member. If any additional information was gathered this would be reviewed by the Committee.
Their deliberations will result in one of four possible decisions:
- Dismiss the matter and take no further action
- Take any action to resolve the complaint or issue between the parties (mediation)
- Request that the member consent to a reprimand, or agree not to repeat the action, or obtain additional education, or undertake other remedial action
- Forward the Complaint to the Board of Hearing Aid Dispensers for investigation.
- These decisions are described more fully below:
5.2 Dismiss the matter:
No further action will be taken if the Complaints Committee determines that the complaint or matter is trivial, frivolous, vexatious or made in bad faith, or that the Hearing Aid Dispenser is practicing competently and satisfactorily.
5.3 Resolution of the complaint or issue:
The Committee may take any action it considers appropriate to resolve the matter between the complainant and the member. Examples of this type of resolution are appointment by the Committee of a mediator to work with the parties to discuss fees or miscommunication.
5.4 Reprimand or remedial action:
The Complaints Committee may request that the member agree to do one or more of the following:
- Not repeat the conduct that led to the complaint
- Take specific educational courses
- Accept a reprimand or
- Accept any other action specified by the Complaints Committee
e.g. Repayment
- For the member, any requested actions are described in written detail as well as standards to be met and how compliance will be monitored. Consequences of non-compliance are also stated.
6. Compliance:
The Chair is responsible for monitoring the member's compliance with decisions made by the Complaint Committee and will report to the Complaint Committee. An individual plan will be developed for each member, which could include telephone communication, written reports from the member, and any others associated with the compliance request.
7. Notification of member and complainant:
Both the complainant and the respondent are notified in writing of the Complaints Committee's decision.
Along with the results of the investigation, the complainant is provided with information on how the complainant can appeal the Committee's decision.
8. Report of the Complaints Committee (volunteers are needed) to the Executive and Board:
Decisions that result from the Complaints Committee's investigation are reported to the Executive and Board in writing, with confidentiality maintained.
9. Non-compliance:
When a member does not agree with the request of the Complaints Committee or, having agreed, or does not comply with the requested actions; the Complaints Committee will direct the Chair to ask the member to explain their reasons for non-compliance. If compliance does not occur within a period specified by the Committee, The Committee may direct the Chair to forward a copy of the complaint to the Board of Hearing Aid Dealers and suspend or revoke membership with HISS-BC. The member and the complainant will be notified of this action.
MISCELLANEOUS
It is important for us to remember however that HISS-BC does not have the legal authority to take action. Our role will be more that of a mediator acting to protect both the public and the members of our association.
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