Service Specification
Supply and Maintenance of Independent Confidential Reporting Service for Concerns in the Workplace
1. The Supplier agrees to provide an independent telephone and digital reporting service for the Customer and its entire staff.
2. The Supplier will advise the Customer and provide materials to assist in internally communicating and promoting the use of this service amongst the Customer’s staff and will include:
(a) Briefings to selected managers/staff;
(b) Posters, leaflets and targeted letters;
(c) Use of the Supplier’s logo and strap line on the Customer’s internal information technology with explanatory and promotional info.
3. The service will take the form of a dedicated telephone line, the number of which is [0800 3213546] (“the Telephone Number”).
4. The Telephone Number is to be internally publicized and promoted by the Customer.
5. The Telephone Number will be live monitored and answered between hours of 09:00 – 17:00 GMT. Outside of these hours a prompted voicemail service will be available for information and for voice messages to be recorded. These voicemails will be transcribed to print and the audio recordings will be deleted.
6. The digital reporting option will be via the Supplier’s website online reporting tool that provides formatted questions and answer fields. This option is to be publicised and promoted internally by the Customer who will signpost their staff to www.say-so.co.uk
7. Both telephone and digital reporting can accommodate anonymous or confidential reports.
8. All information received will be securely managed.
9. The Supplier will engage with those wishing to report, where possible, to extract as much information as possible to determine:
- What is the nature of the misconduct or issue being described
- What the range of potential risks may be (including risks to reporter)
- Who may be responsible for any misconduct or issue identified
10. The Customer will nominate a single point of contact (telephone and email or other reliable means) to whom the Supplier will exclusively supply all the non confidential information (with any information capable of identifying the reporter removed where appropriate) obtained by the Supplier in relation to the Customer. A 24-hour telephone number is required.
11 The Customer will nominate a further senior contact for oversight and abstraction/resilience purposes in any cases that the above SPOC is not available. In this respect the Customer should inform Say So whenever either contact is not available and what other arrangements for direct contact with the Customers organisation are in place.
12 The Supplier will liaise with the Customer’s nominated single point of contact to seek any relevant information to assist in supporting or challenging the information provided.
13. The Supplier will provide the Customer with a final report detailing all information revealed by each report together with any recommended or suggested options for resolution.
14. The Supplier will provide summary reports at the end of each month to indicate the usage of the service.
15. The Supplier will not deal with:
(a) Complaints from customers of the Customer;
(b) Appeals concerning promotions, post selections or internal grievance procedures relating to the Customer
And will refer such information to appropriate resources within the Customer’s management where relevant.
16. Any information disclosed to The Supplier will belong to the Supplier. The Supplier agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the identities of any person who wishes to make a report and requesting such protection and will not divulge any information capable of identifying that person to the Customer.
17. The Supplier will not reveal the identity of a person who has or wishes to report unless the Supplier has obtained express written and verifiable consent by that person or unless legally ordered to do so. The Supplier will not make any other disclosures of information to The Customer unless ordered to do so by a court order made in the courts of England and Wales.
18. In the exceptional circumstances that a court order is made or is known to be being considered, the Supplier will seek legal advice to positively represent the Supplier’s position and will work with the person who has made a report, where relevant, to provide support. The Supplier will work with legal representation, where relevant, to present arguments for non-disclosure.
19. The Supplier will not supply any information that is requested under a Data Protection application.
20. The provisions of clauses 14, 15, 16,17 and 18 shall continue in force notwithstanding the termination of Services for any reason.
21. The Customer, in signing this specification together with the terms and conditions of the Supplier, agrees that the continuing protection, support and welfare of those reporting issues of concern is paramount.
22. The Supplier reserves the right to report any matter directly to the Safeguarding Adults Board, police or other emergency authority if the Customer single point of contact is not contactable and the Supplier reasonably believes that the circumstances warrant immediate action in order to safeguard a person who the Supplier believes is vulnerable.
