The QAF Refresh
Client Involvement and Empowerment
What is a complaint? For example, the difference between a complaint from a neighbour and complaint about the service?
All complaints should be dealt with through the complaints procedure. If a complaint is, for example, in regards to housing management and the provider only provides support, they should support the client to follow the housing management complaint procedure.
How do you ensure that clients are involved?
The Client Involvement and Empowerment standard requires all clients to be given the opportunity to be involved.
It is recognised not all clients wish to be involved. However, all providers should ensure that there are a range of opportunities for client involvement and that they reflect the different manners in which clients wish to be involved.
Does demonstrating clients are involved at board level evidence a level A service?
This would be one piece of evidence. Services also need to demonstrate involvement at levels C (client level) and B (service level.) Providers need to demonstrate how their service also feeds into the clients who sit at board level.
