Submitting a complaint

The society seeks to deliver the best possible service to its members and the public. In doing so we intend to consider fairly all complaints received about our members, products and services, and all appeals against our decisions, in an open and transparent way.

The society is committed to learning from all complaints and appeals received and using them to identify direct improvements.

Informal resolution

It’s best to raise a minor issue with an appropriate Society member or BPS staff first because it might be a simple case of misunderstanding or something that can be addressed with an apology, or an explanation, or a different solution. We hope that the vast majority of concerns will be resolved in this way.

Making a complaint

If you think the issue cannot be addressed informally or if your concerns have not been satisfactorily addressed informally, then you are asked to make a formal complaint or appeal.

The contact and process to use depends on what your concern is about:

• Conduct of someone who is on the Wider Psychological Workforce Register
  - Submit a complaint about a WPW Registrant

• Conduct of someone who is a member of the society but not on the WPW Register
  - Submit a complaint about a member

If you are concerned about the conduct of someone who is a Practitioner Psychologist registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) then you should raise your concern with the HCPC first (see www.hcpc-uk.org for details).

• A society service or product
  - Submit a complaint about the society

• A BPS Qualification
  - Follow the guidance provided on the BPS Qualifications Appeals and Complaints page.

• A BPS-accredited programme
  - Education providers wishing to appeal against an accreditation decision should consult the Accreditation Appeals Policy. Students, or others, wishing to complain about a programme that is accredited by the BPS should consult the guidance on Making a Complaint about an Accredited Programme.

• A decision made about your membership status, admission to a register or conferment of a post-qualification award
  - Consult the policy on Appeals against decisions in relation to membership of the society, admissions to its registers and conferment of post-qualification awards.

If you are concerned about the BPS position on a policy matter, you should contact the policy team

Any complaints sent directly to members of society staff, including members of the Senior Management Team and Trustees, will be forwarded to the Quality Assurance and Standards team to be formally logged and addressed