Complaints And Disciplinary Procedures

Dealing with complaints is an inevitable part of any organisation's work. But for organisations exercising a public function (such as professional membership organisations, regulators, and educational institutions) the handling of complaints is a crucial means by which they uphold professional and/or ethical standards and seek to protect the public.

Complaints handling in these contexts is often very high stakes, with the ultimate sanction against those being complained about often being removal of professional membership or striking off from a professional register. This can lead to the taking away of an individual's livelihood and can therefore have life-changing ramifications for the individuals concerned. The potential, serious impacts on individuals needs to be balanced against the public interest in making sure that professional and/or ethical standards are adhered to and public confidence in the profession, organisation or individuals concerned is maintained.