Client Service Charter
February 2009
This Charter sets out the standard of service you can expect from the Palm Beach Neighbourhood Centre. With your assistance and feedback, we seek to continuously improve our service to the Southern part of the Gold Coast community by responding to the changing needs of our users
Serving You
Our friendly staff are dedicated to meeting your community needs. We do this by making appointments
available to suit your counselling needs and other services are accessible via the centres reception by
phoning or in person or via the website.
Service Standards
You can expect a quick, effective and courteous response whenever you approach us.
Client Rights
- To be involve in deciding, and choosing, the type of services most appropriate to meet their needs
- To be given enough information to make an informed choice about services offered
- To access services that takes into consideration their lifestyle, cultural linguistic and religious
- preferences
- To take part in any social activities offered by the organization
- To be treated with dignity, with their privacy respected
- To be able to lodge a complaint about the service they are receiving without fear of retribution
- To expect any complaints to be dealt with fairly and promptly, without fear of losing the service they currently receive or being disadvantaged in any other way.
- To choose a person to speak or negotiate on their behalf for any purpose. This may be a family member or friend, or another community services agency.
Client Responsibilities
- To treat agency staff with courtesy
- To attend scheduled appointments punctually
- To respond to requests for information by the agency accurately, thoroughly and in a timely manner
- To abide by any legal requirements and other obligations that clients are to meet in order to be eligible for services sought
Privacy and Confidentiality
All practitioners at the Palm Beach Neighbourhood centre adhere to proper guidelines for the protection
privacy of your information, under privacy legislation. It is understood that in the course of your assessment and the referral process you will share information with your treating counsellor. This exchange of information is, of course, for the explicit purpose of assisting you. Where there may be further uses/action involving your private information (e.g. referrals, legal proceedings). This will be discussed at the time with you.
Feedback and Complaints
If you have a query, complaint or suggestion about the service you have received form our centre, we
strongly encourage you to let us know, verbally or in writing.
In the first instance of making a complaint please speak to the Coordinator of the Palm Beach
Neighbourhood Centre. When you make the complaint please let us know:
- The nature of the concern
- How you would like it resolved
If you are still not satisfied, you can make a formal complaint. An independent officer from the management committee will work with you to resolve your issues.
As our client we will listen to you, involve you in our decision making and explain our reasons for our
decisions.
Families and Individuals have the right to determine and have input into the services they require. Families and Individuals often need assistance from the community to develop and strengthen their own support networks. Families and Individuals have the right to access knowledge, information and services which enable them to develop and strengthen existing networks. All Families and Individuals have the right to be treated with dignity and respect. The services need to be offered in a way that encourages Families and Individuals to develop a sense of self worth. Programmes aimed at Famileis and Individuals need to be innovative, preventative and accessible to familiers and community members. Services need to offered in a non-discriminatory way on the basis of need