Republic of the Philippines

Department of the Interior and Local Government

BUREAU OF JAIL MANAGEMENT AND PENOLOGY
BUTUAN CITY JAIL RECOVERY CENTER
Purok 3A, Brgy. Libertad, Butuan City

GUIDELINES ON HANDLING PATIENTS COMPLAINTS

OBJECTIVES:
General:
To continue to promote patients’ physical and psychological safety by
safeguarding their rights, in congruent to the Therapeutic Community modality.

Specific:
These guidelines should help the Program Operation Team of BCRC:
1. Where the dispute among patients is not resolve within the level of the dormitory’s rehab
team, the case will be elevated to the level of the Program Management Team.
2. Establish an orderly method for handling patient’s complaints, particularly against the
staff.
3. Settle patient-staff disputes at the lowest possible level.

SCOPE OF COMPLAINT
Complaints may refer to any of the following:
Between patient and staff
a. Policies, practices (e.i., favoritism) and procedures which violate patient’s
rights and in negation to philosophies of the Therapeutic Community.

THE COMPLAINT PROCEDURE

The procedures for seeking redress of complaints shall be as follows:
For individual patient who would like to present his complaints thru his own initiative.

1. Oral Discussion – a complainant shall present orally his complaints to his staff in-charge
who shall, within three (3) working days from the date of presentation, inform the
paient orally of this decision.
2. Grievance in Writing
a) If complainant is not satisfied with the oral decision, he may submit his grievance
in writing within five (5) working days from receipt of the oral decision of his staff
in-charge. The grievance shall pass through his staff in-charge, who shall forward
the grievance with his comments within five (5) working days to the senior staff
in-charge, as the case may be, who shall within five (5) working days from receipt
thereof inform the patient through the staff in-charge of his decision: PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that where the object of the complaint is the senior staff in-charge
 or suspected to be in connivance with object of complaint. The complainant may
bring his case directly to the Program Management Team.
a) If complainant is not satisfied with the decision of the senior staff in-charge, he
may appeal his grievance to the Program Management Team within five (5)
days from receipt of the decision through the senior staff in-charge. The senior
staff in-charge shall make the necessary comments and forward the grievance
within five (5) days to the Program Management Team who shall, within ten
(10) days from receipt of the grievance, conduct an investigation. The Program
Management Team shall inform the complainant of its decision within five (5)
working days after the investigation thru the senior staff in-charge: PROVIDED
HOWEVER, that where the object of the complaint is the higher supervisor, the
complainant may bring his case directly to the Program Management Team.
b) In case complaint is administrative in nature, (i.e. bribery, violence, etc.) the
PROGRAM MANAGEMENT TEAM shall forward the case to the
ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION for deliberation and execution.

CONTENTS OF THE WRITTEN GRIEVANCE:

The complainant shall fill up the grievance form which shall provide the following
information:
1. Name of the complainant
2. Cell Designation
3. Staff In-Charge
4. Senior Staff In-Charge
5. Nature of Grievance (in brief)
6. Adjustment Desired
7. Signature of patient
8. Date of filing from the lowest level.

DECISION IMPLEMENTATION
Unless appealed, the decision of the concerned authorities shall take effect immediately
and/or upon receipt of the decision of all the parties involved.

SJO4 Richard C Recososa, RN

Center Head