Introduction
Our main aim at the Counselling Services is to give you as our client the best service possible. If there are times when you feel that this has not occurred, or you have some concerns about the service, it would be appreciated if you bring this to our attention, you would be actively contributing to the improvement of the service we offer. The Counselling Unit also has an Informal Complaints Procedure which you can use to address your concerns. This document is intended to provide guidelines on the procedures for making a formal complaint about the service provided by the Counselling Services. Such complaints could be related either to the professional conduct of a counselling services professional or any other aspect of the service.
Procedure
In the event that no amicable solution is found through the informal channels, the complainant can have recourse to the formal procedure, which shall consist of the following procedure stipulated hereunder:
- The complainant must provide the Head of Section with a written complaint giving details of the alleged complaint producing any other relevant information
- The complaint must be filed within one month of the incident(s)
- Within ten working days from the receipt of the written complaint, the Head shall inform the counselling services professional of the allegation(s) and shall provide the counselling services professional with a copy of the written complaint
- Within thirty working days of the action described in (c), the Head shall investigate the complaint and interview the complainant and the counselling services professional. The complainant and counselling services professional may be accompanied during the interview by counsel. If resolution is achieved, a written copy of the resolution shall be signed by the complainant and the counselling services professional. A copy of the written complaint and the resolution shall be maintained by the Head in a confidential file for a period of six years from the date of the signing of the resolution, and shall be destroyed thereafter
- If no resolution is achieved by any means, recourse may be made to the relevant provisions above.
In the event that the complaint concerns the Head of the Counselling Services, the complainant is to refer the complaint to either the Pro-Rector for Student and Institutional Affairs or the Director for Human Resources, Management and Development, as the case may be.
Relevant contact details
Head of Counselling Unit –
Dr Joan CamilleriPro-Rector for Student and Institutional Affairs –
Prof. Carmen SammutDirector for Human Resources, Management and Development –
Ms Jacqueline Fenech
Professional standards for the Counselling Profession
All counselling services professionals at the Counselling Unit belong to one or more of the following professional bodies, and therefore abide by their respective ethical codes of counselling:
Malta Association for PsychotherapistsMalta Association for the Counselling ProfessionMalta Chamber of Psychologists
