Complaints Procedure

Hereford Hospital Radio is committed to providing high-quality broadcasting and entertainment for patients, staff, and visitors at the County Hospital, Hereford. We welcome all feedback—including complaints—as it helps us maintain high standards and improve our service.

This document outlines how to make a complaint, what to expect when you submit one, and how we handle it.

1. Scope of the Policy

This procedure covers complaints regarding:

• Program Content: Language, music selection, fairness, accuracy, or taste and decency.
• Volunteer Conduct: Behaviour of presenters or volunteers while representing the station or interacting with hospital patients and staff.
• Station Operations: Technical issues, events, or administrative matters directly under Hereford Hospital Radio's control.

Note: Complaints regarding general NHS or Wye Valley NHS Trust hospital operations (e.g., medical care, nursing staff, facilities) are outside our jurisdiction. These should be directed to the hospital’s Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS).

2. Guiding Principles

When you lodge a complaint with Hereford Hospital Radio, we promise to:

• Listen: Treat all complaints seriously, politely, and impartially.
• Investigate: Thoroughly check the details (including audio logs where applicable).
• Respond: Acknowledge your complaint promptly and keep you informed of progress.
• Learn: Use feedback to retrain volunteers or adjust station guidelines where appropriate.

3. How to Submit a Complaint

To help us investigate effectively, please submit your complaint in writing where possible and include:

• Your full name and contact details (email or telephone).
• The date and time of the broadcast or incident.
• The name of the programme or volunteer (if known).
• A brief summary of the issue.

Contact Channels

4. Complaint Resolution Process

Step 1: Receipt & Acknowledgment: Target: Within 3 to 5 working days.

Your complaint will be logged and acknowledged by the Trustees. You will be given a reference contact for your query.

Step 2: Investigation: Target: Within 10 to 14 working days.

The Trustee will review the matter. For broadcast complaints, audio recordings will be retrieved and audited. If it involves a volunteer's conduct, the individual(s) concerned will be interviewed.

Step 3: Formal Response:

You will receive a written response detailing:

• The findings of the investigation.
• Whether the complaint was upheld, partially upheld, or not upheld.
• Any corrective actions taken (e.g., volunteer retraining, broadcasting apology, or procedure updates).

Step 4: Appeal / Escalation: Optional.

If you are dissatisfied with the initial response, you may request an appeal in writing within 14 days of receiving the outcome. The appeal will be reviewed by the Chair of the Board of Trustees, whose decision is final.

5. Confidentiality & Data Protection

All complaints are handled in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. Personal details provided during the complaints process will only be shared with individuals necessary to investigate the complaint and will not be disclosed to third parties without prior permission.

6. External Escalation

Because Hereford Hospital Radio operates within the grounds of the County Hospital, serious or unresolved complaints regarding volunteer behaviour on wards may also be reported to:

• Wye Valley NHS Trust Volunteer Management Team / PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service) at The County Hospital.
• The Charity Commission (if the matter involves governance, financial misconduct, or serious charitable breaches).

Updated June 2026 Ver 2.0