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<p>The new Victims' Code, which was published on 29 October, includes an improved section on the complaints process for victims.</p><p>The new code which will be available to all victims of crime sets out the internal complaints processes for agencies under the code. It also includes three new duties on agencies to provide information in relation to complaints. Agencies must:</p><p>Provide within 10 working days either a substantive response or an acknowledgement of the complaint setting out the likely timescales for receiving a full response, where appropriate;</p><p>Make information about their complaints process available to victims and must signpost victims to this information proactively rather than at the request of the victim; and</p><p>Provide information about how victims can escalate their complaint to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman if they remain dissatisfied.</p><p>In addition to the improvements above, we are also looking to further improve local accountability and redress for victims, a commitment made in the Transforming the Criminal Justice System Strategy and Action Plan, published on 28 June.</p> |