Complaints
CBCS encourages you to provide feedback on the support we provide. This assists us to better meet your needs and to plan for the future.
If you are unhappy with any of the services you receive, please let us know. If you do not feel comfortable with the care staff who visits you, please let management know and a change of staff can be arranged if necessary. We have continuous improvement processes in place that use your feedback to improve our services.
Similarly, we enjoy hearing when we do things well; feel free to provide compliments about our service.
All complaints and feedback are treated in confidence and will not affect the quality of support you receive or any other dealings you have with CBCS.
Complaints Procedure
You are encouraged to raise your complaint with the Registered Nurse or the Facility Manager directly.
- Remember that you can use an advocate to assist you. We will always practice open disclosure and be open and transparent in sharing with you any elements of your complaint or care.
- If the issue is not satisfactorily resolved by the facility you can submit your complaint to the CEO or the Board of Directors (in writing) to, PO Box 7002, Norwest BC NSW 2153.
- You may wish to contact one of the advocacy and external complaints contacts listed below. Again, we can help you with this.
- Our CBCS head office is happy to assist you with this.
- Once your complaint has been finalised someone from CBCS will be in touch to make sure you still feel comfortable to access support and to ask for your feedback on the complaint process.
CBCS Complaints and Feedback Contacts
Cherrybrook Christian Care Centre
Ph: 9479 8080
Fax: 9484 8005
Email: cccc@cbcs.com.au
Postal Address: 3 Kitchener Road, Cherrybrook NSW 2126
Street Address: 1-5 Kitchener Road, Cherrybrook NSW 2126
Carinya House
Ph: 9849 5100
Fax: 9849 5103
Email: carinya@cbcs.com.au
Postal & Street Address: 1A Mills Road, Glenhaven NSW 2156
Groves House
Ph: 4954 1700
Fax: 4954 1703
Email: groves@cbcs.com.au
Postal & Street Address: 131 Main Road, Cardiff Heights NSW 2285
Advocacy
An advocate aims to represent your views and interests and can assist you during these difficult conversations or complaint resolution meetings with your aged care service.
Advocates are usually employed by advocacy services or peak advocacy organisations. Advocacy is free for anyone that is currently receiving Commonwealth funded aged care service or will potentially receive aged care services. And if you are not receiving Government funded services, aged care advocates, like the Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN), will still provide assistance.
Your Right to an Advocate
You have a right to use an advocate of your choice to negotiate on your behalf with CBCS. This may be a family member, friend or advocacy service. A list of advocacy services is provided below. We can help you contact a service if you like.
What is an Advocate?
An advocate is a person who, with your authority, represents your interests. Advocates may be used during assessments, reviews, complaints or for any other communication between you and CBCS. They can help you to understand documents or represent you when you are not happy. They cannot make decisions for you unless you cannot make that decision for yourself.
Appointing an Advocate
If you have an appointed advocate let us know in writing the name of the person you wish to be your advocate. This may be an individual or an organisation that you have been working with and understands your wishes.
Guardian and Power of Attorney
You may have an appointed guardian that has been appointed by you or by the Office of the Public Guardian in NSW.
An Enduring Guardian is a person or persons that you have appointed to make decisions relating to accommodation, medical and dental treatment, whilst having the capacity to choose your guardian. An Enduring Guardian can only make decisions for you when you can no longer make decisions yourself.
A Public Guardian or a Guardian appointed by the Office of the Public Guardian will be appointed if you are not able to nominate your preferred guardian. This may be a family member or it may be an officer of the Public Guardian. They can only make decisions for you if you are no longer able to or do not have the capacity to make the decision.
A Power of Attorney is a person whom you have nominated to act on your behalf to manage financial decisions when you are no longer able to. A Power of Attorney cannot make decisions relating to accommodation or medical or dental treatment.
Advocacy and External Complaints Contacts
Advocacy and external complaints contacts available to residents include:
Seniors Rights Service
Level 4, 418A Elizabeth Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010
Freecall: 1800 424 079
Website: www.seniorsrightsservice.org.au
OPAN – Older Persons Advocacy Network (NACAP services)
Freecall: 1800 700 600
8am – 8pm Monday to Friday
Your call will be answered in each state by the Older Persons Advocacy Network organisation in your state/territory.
Website: www.opan.com.au
Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission
GPO Box 9819
In your Capital City
Ph: 1800 951 822
9.00 am-5.00 pm weekdays.
Email: info@agedcarequality.gov.au
Online complaint form: www.agedcarequality.gov.au
Translating and Interpreter Service (TIS)
Ph: 1800 951 822
9.00 am-5.00 pm weekdays.
Email: info@agedcarequality.gov.au
Online complaint form: www.agedcarequality.gov.au
National Relay Service
If you are deaf, have a hearing impairment or speech impairment, contact us through the National Relay Service: Speak and Listen users, phone 1300 555 727 then ask for 02 9286 1000.