Complaint Handling Process

EAP Services Limited is part of Habit Health. We take all complaints seriously and use the information from investigations to help us improve our services and identify how things might be or should be done better in the future.

We will respond to and investigate concerns raised in feedback or complaints and provide feedback to complainants within required time frames.

1 Lodging a complaint with EAP Services Ltd

Our preference is that you provide your feedback / complaint to us via our website.

You can either

• Provide anonymous feedback via our online counsellor feedback form here, or
• Complete a Feedback and Authority to Disclose Information Form on our website here
• If required, you can still phone us on 0800 115477.

2 Response to complaints

We will assess and prioritise complaints in accordance with the urgency and/or seriousness of the issue raised. If a matter concerns an immediate risk to safety, security, or quality the response will be immediate and escalated appropriately.

We may seek to contact you in line with our internal complaint management framework to clarify the complaint. We will acknowledge your complaint within 5 working days.

3 Confidentiality, objectivity, and fairness

We will respect the confidentiality of the complainant and the person complained about. We will comply with relevant privacy legislation and handle all complaints with discretion in line with EAP Services internal complaint management framework and Privacy Policy.

We will share the complaint/feedback internally only with persons necessary to ensure a fair and complete investigation relative to the concerns that have been raised.

We will identify and review the information that is required for a complaint investigation.

• Client notes / file review
• Procedure / Guidelines / internal policies and procedures
• Relevant service schedules and agreements
• Relevant professional standards.

4 Complaint Management Process 

4.1 Acknowledgement & Response

We will acknowledge receipt of each complaint using the most appropriate medium (e.g., email, direct contact etc) for communicating with the complainant within 5 working days of receipt of your complaint.

We may contact you to clarify the complaint, seek further information related to your concerns and discuss the outcome sought with you.

4.2 Assessment & Investigation

We will assess the complaint and determine the appropriate level of investigation based on an objective review of information available.

We will ensure an appropriate person is assigned to manage and investigate the complaint.

A written record of the information gathered, and any decisions made will be maintained.

We will act without bias to identify, analyse, and review necessary information required to establish and verify the facts.

4.3 Complaint Response

Within 10 working days of having acknowledged your complaint we will advise whether we consider;

• The complaint is justified, or
• We do not accept that the complaint is justified, or
• We need more time to investigate the complaint.

We will inform you of our decision and supply the reasons for that decision, outcome of our investigation and actions we propose to take. Where extensive investigations are required, you will be kept informed in writing at monthly or agreed intervals until the complaint is resolved.

We will provide you with information on how to access the services of an independent advocate under the Health and Disabilities Commissioner Act or make a further complaint and seek advice from the Health and Disability Commission or Office of the Privacy Commissioner where you are not satisfied with our complaint response and outcome provided.

4.4 Closing & record keeping

We will keep comprehensive records about

• All information gathered
• How we managed the complaint
• The outcome of the complaint; and
• Actions that have been taken.

For further information please refer to EAP Services Ltd Privacy Statement here.