REGISTER A COMPLAINT |
IMPORTANT: all complaints must be in writing, sent by post, email or fax to the office of the College of Dispensing Opticians.
- On receiving a complaint, the Registrar forwards a copy of the complaint to the respondent and an investigator, giving the respondent 10 business days to respond.
The investigator must conduct an investigation, including any of the following:
- Request additional explanations from the complainant, the respondent or a third party;
- Request an interview of the complainant, the respondent or a third party;
- Informally resolve the complaint in the interest of the respondent, the complainant, the public and the College.
An investigator may investigate any matter relating to the respondent that arises during the investigation
- Professional misconduct
- Conduct unbecoming the profession
- Incompetence
- Incapacity
If the complaint cannot be resolved the complaint is then sent to the Complaints Committee. The Complaints Committee must do one of the following:
- Accept any informal resolution made by the investigator
- Dismiss the complaint, if a determination is made by the Committee that the College does not have jurisdiction to resolve the complaint or the complaint cannot be substantiated or is frivolous or vexatious and provide guidance to the complainant, the respondent or any person associated with the complaint, if the Complaints Committee considers guidance to be useful
- Give the complainant, the respondent and any other person it considers appropriate the opportunity to appear before the Complaints Committee and to submit representations, explanations or documentation, including medical and any other information relevant to the complaint.
After the Complaints Committee has given the parties an opportunity to appear before the Committee, the Committee must do one of the following;
- Dismiss the complaint
- Caution the respondent
- Counsel and caution the respondent
- Forward the complaint to the Professional Conduct Committee
- Informally resolve the complaint.
