This Policy Covers

Direct complaints against individual Equine Facilitated and/or Assisted Practitioners on the Accredited Practitioner Register where:

• The client or service user feels unable to approach the practitioner directly.
• There has been a significant breach of professional conduct or ethical standards.
• There is a wider public interest issue.

This Policy Does Not Cover

• Complaints about practitioners not on the Register.
• Complaints about former members who are no longer registered.

The Register's Commitment

We take all feedback seriously, investigate fairly, and use it to improve standards. The Register:

• Encourages concerns to be raised early and directly with the practitioner, following their complaints policy.
• Takes all compliments and complaints seriously and contacts all parties involved.
• Values the time taken to provide feedback and uses it to improve services.
• Reviews all complaints fairly and objectively through the Professional Conduct Review Committee (PCRC).
• Investigates thoroughly and seeks amicable solutions.
• Maintains a formal record of all compliments and complaints.

Making a Compliment

If you wish to formally compliment the Register on any aspect, you can send it in writing by post or email.

Making a Complaint

We work to maintain high professional standards among practitioners but recognise issues can arise. Wherever possible, service users and the public should try to resolve issues directly with the practitioner via their own process. In exceptional cases — such as serious breaches of conduct — complaints can be made directly to the Register.

• All complaints go to the PCRC, which decides whether they meet the proceedings test.
• If complaints cannot be resolved through consensual disposal, they are investigated under the Malpractice and Maladministration Policy.
• Upheld complaints result in sanctions under the Sanctions Policy, and outcomes are published under the Professional Conduct Publication Policy.

Our Complaints Process

All Accredited Practitioners (PSA) are required to have their own complaints policies and processes in place. In the unfortunate event of a complaint, we encourage service users to first seek resolution directly with the practitioner. However, we recognise that this will not always be a satisfactory approach, and some may not feel comfortable raising complaints directly — as such, complaints can be raised directly with the Register.

All complaints we receive are acted upon and formally heard by our Professional Conduct Review Committee. We rely on service users, clients, and the public to bring poor and unethical practice to our attention so we can take appropriate action. All complaints that are upheld by the committee are published on our Professional Conduct Notices page for full transparency.

You can find out more about our complaints process and review our Complaints Handling Map.

Raise a Complaint

Feedback and Opportunities to Improve

We welcome all feedback to help improve our services. Please email info@athenaherd.org with your suggestions.

Legal Advice

If any party involves solicitors, the Register will only communicate through them. This does not prevent anyone from seeking legal advice.

Handling of Personal Data

Our Data Protection Policy (available at athenaherd.org) explains how we use and protect your personal information.