17 October 2006

A STATEMENT OF PROMISES FROM US TO YOU

PROMISE 1 - Our offices will be accessible and welcoming

We will do this by:

• Providing a relaxed and friendly environment
• Making our services accessible to disabled people and those with a sensory impairment
• Providing rooms where you can discuss things privately
• Displaying information about our services

PROMISE 2 - Communication with us will be as easy as possible

To achieve this we will:

• Aim to reply to you in your preferred method of communication
• Write or speak to you in plain language, which you can understand
• Provide different communication methods such as audio recordings, sign language, interpreters, home visits, large print, braille, pictures and pictograms
• Provide interpreter services where English is not your first language

PROMISE 3 - Our staff will respect and value You

They will do this by:

• Identifying themselves by name
• Treating everyone fairly and taking account of individual needs
• Respecting confidentiality
• Respecting your home by asking if there is anything in particular you want us to know, do or refrain from doing whenever we visit you there
• Offering a morning or afternoon time slot if we need to carry out a maintenance repair or an inspection for a repair or improvement
• Arranging an appointment for all other visits and keeping to within 15 minutes of the arranged time
• Having a feedback process so you can complain, praise us or make a suggestion
• ... And on occasions when we are unable to help we will clearly explain why

PROMISE 4 - We will respond promptly to You

Our targets are to:

• See you within 10 minutes when you call into our office
• Answer 85% of phone calls within 20 seconds (about 5 rings)
• Respond to messages within 2 working days
• Reply to letters within 5 working days and give a timescale if we are going to take longer to answer fully
• Reply to emails and web communication within 5 working days

PROMISE 5 - We will keep You informed and involved

To achieve this we will:

• Provide an information pack to all our new tenants and Leaseholders
• Distribute newsletters to our tenants regularly and involve them in producing newsletters
• Have arrangements in place for involving Progress Care customers and/or advocates and encourage them to become board members and sit on the tenant involvement panels
• Publishing a Tenant Compact and encouraging New Progress customers to be involved
• Carry out satisfaction surveys and use the information to improve services
• Publish service standards and targets for our key service areas such as repairs and applying for a home

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