Feedback and Complaints Policy

Purpose

Barney & Bella will be trading under the RSPCA Woodside trading company which is owned by RSPCA Woodside.

The purpose of this policy is to set out how RSPCA Woodside welcomes and manages feedback – whether positive, constructive, or a formal complaint.

We are committed to providing the highest standards of animal care, professionalism, and customer service. We view feedback as a vital tool to celebrate excellent care, learn from experiences, and continuously improve the services we offer.

This policy explains how clients can share their experiences, suggestions, or concerns, and outlines how we will handle all feedback fairly, promptly, and confidentially. It also ensures that concerns are escalated through appropriate internal steps before being referred to any external regulatory bodies, reinforcing our commitment to accountability, transparency, and ongoing improvement.

Principles

We are committed to:

• Promoting animal welfare, client satisfaction, and excellent service delivery.
• Ensuring feedback is welcomed, respected, and acted upon – whether it is praise, a suggestion, or a concern.
• Maintaining a safe and respectful environment for clients and staff – abusive, aggressive, or threatening behaviour will not be tolerated.
• Addressing issues quickly and constructively, wherever possible, at the point they arise.

Providing Feedback

We actively encourage customers/clients/supporters to share their experiences – positive or negative – to help us improve or to acknowledge excellent care. All feedback will be handled respectfully and confidentially. Ways to provide feedback include:

Rehoming centre and charity shops:

• In person: speak with a staff member during your visit, we welcome real-time comments.
• Online: complete the Feedback and Complaints form on our website
• By phone: 0116 2336677
• By email: hello@rspcawoodside.org.uk
• In writing: RSPCA Woodside, 190 Scudamore Road, Leicester, LE3 1UQ

Barney and Bella:

• In person: speak with a staff member during your visit, we welcome real-time comments.
• Online: complete the Feedback and Complaints form on our website
• By phone: 0116 509 3430
• By email: hello@barneyandbella.co.uk
• In writing: Barney and Bella Veterinary Practice, 190 Scudamore Road, Leicester, LE3 1UQ

Making a Complaint

If you wish to make a formal complaint, please include: 

• Your full name, address, and contact details (plus preferred method/time of contact)
• Your pet’s name (if applicable)
• The date of your visit or interaction
• The location of your visit or interaction
• A summary of your concern or complaint
• The names of staff members involved (if known)

We aim to:

 Acknowledge all complaints within 5 working days

• Provide a full response within 14 working days, following investigation
• If delays are unavoidable, we will keep you informed of progress.

Internal Escalation Process

If you are not satisfied with the initial response, we ask that you escalate your concern through the following internal steps before contacting external bodies:

Step 1 – Initial Investigation
Handled by the manager of the relevant service (e.g., Practice Manager or Head of Department).

Step 2 – Senior Review
If unresolved, your complaint will be escalated to the CEO or the Clinical Director (or the Centre Manager or Operations Manager in their absence).

Step 3 – Trustee Review
Should further review be required, the issue will be considered by the Trustee representative.

We aim to resolve all complaints within this internal structure wherever possible.

External Escalation Process

If you remain dissatisfied after following the internal process, you may contact one of the following external bodies depending on the nature of your concern:

Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) – for concerns about veterinary conduct
Website: www.rcvs.org.uk
Phone: 020 7202 0789

Fundraising Regulator – for complaints relating to fundraising practices
Website: www.fundraisingregulator.org.uk

Charity Commission – for serious concerns about the governance of the charity
Website: www.gov.uk/complain-about-charity

Learning and Continuous Improvement

All feedback – including complaints – is reviewed and discussed regularly by our leadership team to:

• Recognise and celebrate good practice
• Identify areas for improvement
• Update policies, processes, or training needs where appropriate

We are proud to serve our community and are committed to providing a high-quality, compassionate service to every person and every animal we support.

Monitoring and Reviewing

This policy will be reviewed in line with the Policy Review Schedule, or sooner if there are significant changes in legislation, operations, or after a serious incident. Audits and spot checks will be conducted to ensure compliance.