This procedure can be used by Qualitas IMS clients and any interested parties who are affected by the services provided by Qualitas IMS e.g. customers of companies certified by Qualitas IMS.

This Procedure applies to all staff involved in handling complaints /appeals /disputes about the Qualitas IMS services and covers all complaints, whether received by letter, e-mail, telephone, fax or verbally.

Responsibilities:

Managing Director

• Instigates investigation of complaint Signs letter of response
• Reports on complaint handling on a monthly basis, if any complaints are outstanding Instigates corrective and preventive actions as appropriate.
• Acknowledging appeals within three working days of receipt
• Deciding whether an appeal panel should be formed
• If no appeal panel is to be formed deciding to grant the appeal
• Appoints independent chair and selects two independent members to sit on the appeals panel
• Notifying the appellant of the arrangements for the appeal panel
• Notifying the Director of the outcome of panel decision
• Notifying the appellant of the decision with a written statement of the appeal findings, including the reasons for the decision reached
• Maintaining a register of all appeals and the final outcome
• Reviewing the reason for the appeal and identifying any QMS amendments
• Monitoring the effectiveness of any system changes following the appeal review.

Director

• Reviews effectiveness of corrective and preventative actions
• Reviews handling of complaints
• Arbitrates in the event that a decision by the appeal panel is rejected by the appellant;

Qualitas IMS Consultant

• Pass complaint to Managing Director for investigation and a reply

Upon receipt of a complaint:

Qualitas IMS shall confirm whether the complaint relates to certification activities that Qualitas IMS is responsible for, if yes same shall be dealt with.

If the complaint relates to a client which is certified by Qualitas IMS then examination of the complaint shall consider the effectiveness of the certified management system.

Any complaints about a certified Qualitas IMS client shall also be referred by Qualitas IMS to the client in question at an appropriate time.

Qualitas IMS after receiving the complaint would be responsible for gathering and verifying all the necessary information to validate the complaint.

Qualitas IMS would then acknowledge receipt of the complaint and would provide the complainant with the progress/action taken by Qualitas IMS and its out come in due course. The decision and action to be communicated to the complainant shall be dealt with individually by a member of the Qualitas IMS team who has not previously been involved in the subject of the complaint. Once the complaint handling process has been completed a formal notice to be given to the complainant at the earliest opportunity.

Qualitas IMS shall determine with the client and the complainant whether the extent of the complaint and its resolution.

Contact Points for Clients

Any member of staff may receive a complaint, if the complainant wishes to send a written complaint it should be sent to:

Nicola Millar

Managing Director

Qualitas IMS

Office 81 Atlantic Business Centre

Atlantic Street

Altrincham

WA14 5NQ

Receipt of an Appeal or Dispute

A notification of appeal or dispute must be received within 14 days of the date of notification of the decision appealed against.

For instance, this could be the date a non-conformance was raised or the date or the date proposed corrective action was rejected.

A notification of appeal or dispute must be made in writing to the Managing Director, who will acknowledge the appeal or dispute.

The appeal or dispute should be accompanied by a suitable statement giving the grounds for the appeal or dispute with a summary of the supporting evidence.

The Managing Director will give an initial judgement on the case on receipt of full supporting documentation that will have two possible outcomes.

1. The appeal or dispute is granted without the need for further action under this procedure;
2. Putting the appeal or dispute to an appeal panel comprising of three independent members.

Consideration of an Appeal or Dispute

Appeal and dispute hearings will take place within 6 weeks of the appeal’s receipt. Once internal arrangements for an appeal panel have been made, the appellant will be notified of the arrangements by the Managing Director and requested to confirm attendance at the appeal.

All appropriate information and papers will be made available to the panel and the appellant for the purpose of the hearing.

Once a decision has been made, the Managing Director will inform the appellant in writing of the decision including the reasons for the decision reached.

For organisations already certified, if the appeal/dispute is refused, information relating to the withdrawal/suspension of the certification or corrective actions required and any appropriate penalties for misuse may, as required, be forwarded to the appellant by the Managing Director. In this case, the organisation will be monitored to ensure that it complies with the requirements laid down in a registered file.

For organisations which appeal against or dispute a recommendation not to issue certification following an initial assessment, the lead assessor from the assessment will discuss, with the appellant, corrective action to be taken in order to continue with the certification process or, under the instruction of the client, to close the file for the organisation

At the next Management Team meeting any corrective and/or preventive action undertaken is to be reviewed to assess its effectiveness and suitability to eliminate future appeals or disputes. If action is found to be ineffective, further investigations and review are to take place and, if required, further steps taken to ensure that effective corrective/preventive action is implemented.

Documentary evidence of actions taken is to be included with the records of the original appeal or dispute.