Recording of complaints is a necessary task, it can however sometimes be difficult for laboratories to decide how best to do this and even what they should class as a complaint. Ultimately labs should use their own judgement, helped by following the appropriate guidelines to make these decisions. The process helps laboratories to highlight trends, whether these be reoccurring issues with specific clients, problems with materials, or training needs of staff members for example.

The purpose of the Complaints Procedure:

The complaints procedure exists to ensure that laboratories record any adverse communication between themselves and clients or prescribers and that any such communications are followed up, analysed and resolved using a step by step process (as discussed in more detail below). Recording these steps as they occur, provides a means of preventing the reoccurrence of the same issues, and provides written evidence of your efforts to resolve them.

Recording your Complaints:

There are specific steps to be followed when recording a complaint in your Complaints Log:

The Customer details and nature of complaint

Whether the complaint is justified or not

What the action is (for unjustified complaints)

What the action is (for unjustified complaints)

The cause of the complaint

The corrective action taken / to be taken to resolve complaint

Any follow up action needed to verify that complaint has been resolved

A signature and date to confirm the closure of the complaint.

It is important to remember that all laboratories should maintain thorough records of complaints. As a DAMAS laboratory you will have been provided with a Complaints Log format as part of the system to make this process much easier. You can enter the information onto the log using your computerised version or handwrite onto a printed hardcopy, whichever you prefer.

Laboratories with computerised booking in systems:

Some laboratories may be choosing to record some aspects of their complaints, on their booking in systems (Labtrac for example). If you have a system such as Labtrac in place, you can choose to record your ‘remakes’ on that system, by checking a box at the point of booking in the job. If this is the case you can then choose to use the DAMAS provided Complaints Log for any complaints that are not classed as remakes. This would mean it would run well in conjunction with the Labtrac remakes record, but you must make sure that the same information is inputted into Labtrac as is entered into the DAMAS Complaints Log to ensure compliance.

For DAMAS labs that don’t have a system like Labtrac, or that just prefer to record all types of complaints in one place, can do this for quick, easy reference, using the provided DAMAS format.

If you would like any more information on the complaints procedures or any other aspect of the DAMAS system, please don’t hesitate to contact the DLA office by phone on 0115 925 4888 or by email on info@damas.co.uk.

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