What to Expect When You Contact the OCCS

Contacting the OCCS in regards to a complaint has never been more easy or accessible. From our social media channels to email and a dedicated online complaint form, contacting our teams and raising a complaint has been designed to be as streamlined as possible.

But what happens when you contact the OCCS and how do we deal with your complaint? In today’s blog entry we outline our process and what to expect as a user of our mediation service.

A Complaint is Received

The OCCS will confirm with the consumer and discuss what has happened and what has been done to try and resolve the complaint so far. We also review the complaint to ensure that it is appropriate to be mediated by the OCCS. The consumer will need to provide a signed consent form to allow the optician to release their records and any personal information held. We will then speak to the optician and see if the complaint can be resolved immediately.

Information Gathering

If the dispute cannot be resolved and this is the appropriate forum, the OCCS will make enquiries, which include obtaining copies of optical records. If there is any delay in gathering all the relevant information, the OCCS will update the consumer and/or the optician.

Reviewing of Information and Opening of Dialogue

The OCCS will then review the information and establish what has happened.

The OCCS will confirm the details with both the consumer and the optician. At this stage, the OCCS will help those involved to find a solution.

Creating Options for Both Parties

If an agreement can be reached, then a timeframe will be set to implement that solution.

This should be done within 45 days of the complaint being accepted by the OCCS. The OCCS will then review the complaint and ask for feedback.

If a resolution cannot be agreed, the consumer will be given the option of accepting the optician’s response or for the complaint to be passed to a senior mediator.

Senior Mediation

The circumstances of the complaint will be considered by a senior mediator – the consumer and the optician will be informed. This will be done within 10 days of referring the complaint to the senior mediator.

Mediation and Working for Resolution

The senior mediator will come back to the consumer and the optician and try to mediate a resolution. This will be done within 14 days of referring the complaint to the senior mediator.

Timeframe Established

If an agreement can be reached, a timeframe will be set to implement that solution
This will be done within three weeks of referring the complaint to the senior mediator.

Final Agreement

If an agreement cannot be reached, the senior mediator will confirm this to the consumer and the optician and then advise that the OCCS process is concluded and why.

For more information on how the OCCS may be able to help you, contact our teams on 0344 800 5071 or via enquiries@opticalcomplaints.co.uk.