Purpose

This policy is for current members who wish to raise a concern about how the Association has treated them, applied a process, delivered a service, communicated, managed a conflict or made an administrative decision. It is not the route for a client complaint about a practitioner's work, an appeal against a disciplinary outcome, a safeguarding disclosure, an adverse event or an employment grievance.

The Association is not the employer of its ordinary members. The ACAS Code governs workplace relationships and does not automatically apply to membership grievances. The Association nevertheless adopts relevant principles of clarity, promptness, impartiality and a fair opportunity to be heard.

Before making a formal grievance

Where appropriate and safe, a member should first raise a routine concern with the person or service concerned. Many mistakes, delays and misunderstandings can be corrected quickly. Informal resolution is optional and will not be required where the matter involves alleged discrimination, harassment, retaliation, serious misconduct, a conflict of interest or a significant power imbalance.

How to raise a grievance

Send a clear written account to AssociationforIEMT@gmail.com with the subject “Member grievance”. Include the decision or conduct complained of, relevant dates, the people involved, supporting material, steps already taken and the outcome sought. If accessibility or disability makes a written submission difficult, request a reasonable alternative.

Assessment and allocation

• The Association will acknowledge receipt and identify the appropriate route.
• A person with a material conflict will not determine the grievance.
• Urgent safeguarding, safety, criminal or data-breach issues will be referred to the appropriate parallel procedure.
• The Association may seek clarification, combine closely related issues, or pause consideration where an external proceeding could be prejudiced.
• Vexatious does not mean persistent, critical or unsuccessful. A submission will be restricted only where there is evidence of abuse, bad faith, harassment or seriously unreasonable use of the process.

Review process

The reviewer will identify the issues, obtain relevant records, invite responses from those materially affected and consider both supporting and contradictory information. The member will receive a reasoned written outcome. Possible remedies include an explanation, correction, apology, restored access, reconsideration by a different person, service improvement, policy review, training, mediation by agreement, or referral into another formal process.

The Association will act without avoidable delay but does not promise a fixed completion date. It will provide proportionate updates where complexity, illness, availability of evidence or parallel proceedings cause delay.

Review of outcome

A member may request a review within 21 calendar days where there was a material procedural flaw, significant new evidence not reasonably available earlier, a factual error that affected the result, or a remedy that is clearly unreasonable. Wherever practicable, the review will be undertaken by someone not materially involved in the first decision. The review may uphold, vary or remit the outcome and is final within the Association.

Confidentiality and protection from retaliation

Information will be limited to those who reasonably need it, subject to fair process, safeguarding and legal obligations. Absolute confidentiality cannot be promised. No member should suffer retaliation for raising a concern honestly or participating in a review. Knowingly false evidence, intimidation or retaliation may be considered under the Membership Disciplinary Policy.

Which route should I use?

• Public complaint, feedback or adverse event
• Membership disciplinary process or appeal
• Safeguarding concern
• Personal-data concern
• Urgent confidentiality decision