Complaints Procedure

Please read these notes carefully before instituting the Complaints Procedure:

The Complaints Procedure (outlined below) relates only to CPCAB’s qualification service including our External Verification, administration and telephone support.

1. A formal complaint must be submitted within eight weeks from the date of the incident that gave rise to the complaint.
2. A formal complaint will normally be lodged by an Approved Centre.
3. In the event of an unresolved formal complaint (i.e. where the Complaints Adjudicator is unable to reach a decision), the complaint will be passed to a second Complaints Adjudicator.
4. CPCAB’s CEO and Head of Qualifications reserve the right to make the final determination of the outcome of any unresolved formal complaint.
5. The complaints procedure will be quality-assured by an appropriate independent consultant.
6. No candidate registration or Centre fees will be refunded in relation to any outcome of this Complaints Procedure.

This Complaints Policy and Procedure replaces all previous CPCAB complaints policies and procedures and will be reviewed periodically by CPCAB.

The Complaints Procedure

A. The Centre is responsible for:

1. Providing the tutor with a copy of this Complaints Procedure in cases where s/he is considering lodging a complaint (via the Centre). This would include lodging a complaint on behalf of a trainee;
2. Writing to CPCAB with details of the complaint. Please note that the Centre and not the tutor or trainee must write to institute the complaint procedure. The letter should therefore be written by the Centre Co-ordinator and be clearly headed ‘Formal Letter of Complaint’;
3. Informing the complainant of the result of the complaint.

B. On receipt of a Formal Letter of Complaint, CPCAB will:

1. Acknowledge receipt of the complaint;
2. Appoint a Complaints Adjudicator who will examine the complaint;
3. Inform the Centre in writing of the result of the complaint. This decision in all cases will be final and the Complaints Procedure will thereby be terminated.

C. Time limit for the complaint:

1. The Complaints Procedure will be completed within eight weeks from the date of receipt of the ‘Formal Letter of Complaint’, except when a second Complaints Adjudicator has to be appointed for whatever reason. In these cases, the investigation will be completed within a further four weeks.

All complaints falling outside this scope – for example, those brought by a trainee against a tutor – must be dealt with by the Centre’s own complaints procedures. However, the Centre must immediately notify CPCAB of all cases of suspected internal malpractice (where linked in any way to courses leading to CPCAB qualifications). Any Centre that fails to report, investigate or co-operate in the investigation of malpractice may be prohibited from registering further candidates or have their Approved Centre status withdrawn.

The Complaints Adjudicator must be a senior CPCAB staff member who is not directly involved with the circumstances surrounding the complaint. Where it is not possible to appoint such a staff member, then CPCAB will appoint an independent consultant.