Comments and Complaints
We continuously try to improve the work we do, and routinely provide opportunities to feedback on our services as part of the work we do. This helps us to understand what the individuals and organisations we work with value most about what we offer. If you have any positive comments or feedback on our Services generally, please do let the member of our team know directly, or let us know on .
If you have a concern or complaint about our work, do feel able to raise this with any member of our team. They will help directly whenever possible, or advise you where to pass your concern/complaint onto if needed. We take any concerns or complaints very seriously, and will always take action when appropriate to do so.
All concerns/complaints will be dealt with in a timely and professional manner.
Having spoken to a member of our team, if you still feel at this point that you would like to progress your concern/complaint further – or would find it easier to put in writing initially – please follow the guidance below:
Making a complaint
- In the first instance, we would encourage you to discuss your concern or complaint with the most relevant member of rareminds team. We always endeavour to resolve difficulties at an early stage, and take any necessary actions as soon as possible
- If this does not feel possible, or does not lead to an acceptable outcome, please then contact rareminds CEO* via to discuss further.
- If you would still like to progress a concern or complaint further , please write with details to: Rareminds CIO, c/o Beadle House, Bull Plain, Hertford, SG14 1DT or email .
To help us to most effectively, and quickly, investigate your complaint, please include:
- Your name and contact details
- The specific area, team member, service or resource to which the complaint or concern applies
- The date or time period to which the complaint applies
- Please mark any envelope/email: “Confidential: FAO of the CEO”.
*If your complaint relates to the CEO, you should then mark your envelope (or put into the subject line) “Confidential: FAO Chair of Trustees”.
If you would like to raise a concern or complaint anonymously, you are still able to do so. We will still investigate, but obviously will not be in a position to communicate with you any outcomes from that process.
How and when we will respond
- We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint/concern within 14 days.
- We will find out more about what has happened, and ensure this is put right as far as possible.
- We will also give you an idea of how long we need to address problems and a timescale for any follow-up actions we will take.
- We aim to investigate and respond to all complaints as soon as reasonably practical as it can take time to investigate. In most cases, we aim to complete the process within 28 working days.
- We will explain to you what we did to investigate and, where appropriate, what actions we have taken to prevent an issue recurring, or negatively impacting other individuals or organisations who use our services.
If you do not feel that your concern/complaint has been adequately addressed in our response as above, you should contact either the CEO or Chair explaining the reasons why you are not satisfied. They will respond within 28 days.
Should you remain unsatisfied by their response, there are then 2 further avenues by which to progress a complaint:
Making a complaint to an external regulator
Charitable Incorporated Organisations (like Rareminds) are regulated by the Charity Commission. If you do not feel that your concern or complaint has been appropriately addressed by the above processes, please refer to the government website which contains further help and advice about how to make a complaint.
Making a complaint against a Counsellor/Psychotherapist (or other professional team member)
It can be helpful to be aware that personal counselling can sometimes bring up strong or conflicted feelings about either the counsellor or the process itself. This is because counselling usually involves addressing difficult life experiences, which can sometimes emerge in the dynamic relationship between a client and therapist. If you are finding something difficult in your therapy, do feel able to raise this with your therapist in the first instance.
If you are unable to find some resolution to your concern, do contact Rareminds Chief Clinical Officer, Kym Winter (). We will in the first instance follow the Complaints Procedure as above.
All our clinical staff are members of approved professional organisations (e.g. British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy.) as indicated on the ‘Clinical Team’ section of our website. As such, any complaints concerning breaches of professional Codes of Conduct or Ethics may be submitted directly to their individual professional body (there is more information about ‘Making Complaints’ on each professional organisation website).
The procedure for this will vary according to each individual and their core profession.
There is more information about your counsellors corresponding professional body on our website, and in your ‘Counselling Agreement’ that you were provided with when you started counselling.
Counselling and Psychotherapy Professional Organisations:
updated January 2021