We are committed to engaging with everyone who comes into contact with us, in a way that is fair, respectful and accessible. You have the right to be heard and understood, and we work hard to make our service open, accessible and supportive for all.

In return, we ask that the interactions with our staff remain respectful so that we can provide the best possible service to you and to others. We have a duty to protect the wellbeing of our staff.

What respectful engagement looks like

We ask that you:

• Communicate with our staff politely and calmly, even where you feel frustrated or dissatisfied
• Allow our staff the time and space to communicate and to fully consider and respond to your concerns
• Use clear, appropriate language and focus on the issues you would like us to consider, avoiding making personal remarks about our staff
• Treat our staff with courtesy and respect at all times, including not interrupting, speaking over them, or using aggressive or confrontational language
• Avoid swearing or using offensive language
• Respect the information provided by our staff, even where you may not agree with it
• Avoid repeated or excessive contact, and allow reasonable time for responses before getting in touch again

Unreasonable behaviour

We understand that making a complaint can be difficult. However, where behaviour makes it harder for us to do our work or affects the well-being of our staff, we must take action. Further details about our approach in these circumstances is available in our Engagement Policy.