Compliments and Complaints

COMPLIMENTS

We would love to hear any compliments about members and why you have benefited from their services. Any compliments can be sent to compliments@organisationalpsychology.nz

COMPLAINTS

If you have a concern about an Organisational Psychologist or member of the Institute you should first discuss your concerns with them.

If that is not possible, or if you remain dissatisfied, you may wish to contact their employer or the agency that has contracted them.

If you are still dissatisfied, you can make a complaint about a member to one of three parties (only one party can deal with any one complaint).

• If the member refers to themselves as a Psychologist, then complaints should be made to the New Zealand Psychologists Board. The Psychologists Board is mandated to protect the health and safety of members of the New Zealand public in their dealings with psychologists. You can contact them at any stage to discuss your concerns informally or to make a formal complaint or notification where there are fitness or competence concerns.
• If the member does not refer to themselves as a psychologist then you can complain to the health and disability commissioner.
• Alternately, you could complain to the New Zealand Psychological Society. Any complaints to the New Zealand Psychological Society must be in writing and be made to the Executive Director by emailing executivedirector@psychology.org.nz.

NEW ZEALAND PSYCHOLOGICAL SOCIETY RULES AND PROCESS

32 Complaints against Members

32.1 The Executive is entitled to discipline any Member who in the opinion of the Executive has acted:

(a) in breach of the Rules, By-laws or Code of Ethics of the Society; or
(b) who has been admitted as a Member as a result of false representation; or
(c) has been found guilty of conduct rendering them unfit to remain a Member of the Society.

32.2 Any complaint against a member must be made in writing to the President or to the Executive Director. The President and/or the Executive Director must

(a)  make enquiry of the Health and Disability Commissioner and/or of the New Zealand Psychologists Board and/or to any other appropriate body or agency to ascertain whether or not any complaint of the same or substantially the same nature has been made about the complainant;

(b)  report to the Executive the complaint received, and the result of the enquiries made following 32.2(a), and

(c)  advise the Executive of any enquires made to establish the bona fides of the complainant and/or the complaint, including the status of the person complained about.

32.3 The Executive shall determine whether or not it is appropriate to investigate the complaint further.

(a)  If a complaint of the same or substantially the same nature has been made tothe Health and Disability Commissioner or the New Zealand Psychologists Board or to any other statutory or professional body, the Executive may, at its discretion, take no further action in respect of the complaint until the complaint has been finally determined. Following final determination of the complaint to the Health and Disability Commissioner or the New Zealand Psychologists Board or other body or agency, the Executive shall then determine what further steps (if any) are required in respect of the complaint made to the Society.

(b)  If the Executive decides to proceed with the investigation of any complaint it shall refer the complaint to a Committee set up for the purpose, which shall operate as specified in Regulations approved for the purpose by the Executive.

(c) The Executive Director will inform the complainant of any decision made by the Executive about the complaint received by the Society.

32.4 The Executive Director will send by registered post to the last known address of the member about whom the complaint has been made a copy of the complaint and the member shall have 30 calendar days following the notification to make to the Executive Director such response and representations on the matter as the member wishes. Any communication between the member and the Executive Director shall be communicated to the investigating committee, and all communications from the committee to the member will be by way of the Executive Director.

32.5 If the investigating committee considers that the Member has breached the Code of Ethics or has been guilty of misconduct, it may recommend to the Executive that one or more of the following actions be taken by the Executive:

Taking into account the seriousness of the breach or misconduct, the investigating committee may also recommend to the Executive that one or more of the following sanctions be imposed by the Executive:

(d)  Reprimand of the Member for the misconduct;

(e)  A requirement that the Member undertake a specified programme of education,supervision, or review of practice (to standards defined by the Executive);

(f)  A probationary period with monitoring of the Member’s compliance with theExecutive’s disciplinary requirements and sanctions;

(g)  Suspension of membership of the Society, in conjunction with or pending otheractions;

(h)  In accordance with Rule 32.7 (a), termination of membership by invitedresignation;

(i)  In accordance with Rule 32.7 (b), expulsion of the Member from the Society;

32.6 Any person who is the subject of any disciplinary decision made under Rule 32.5 will be notified by registered (or similarly documented) post to the address shown in the Register of Members. Within 30 calendar days of such notification being posted, the Member must inform the Society in writing whether the decision is accepted (and give an assurance that any required proof of compliance will be provided) or whether the Member intends to seek review of the decision. The complainant is also advised of the decision and may seek review of the decision within the same period. The following may then occur:

(a) After the expiry of the review period, if no review request has been lodged, the Executive will ratify the decision and inform the investigating committee, complainant, Member, and other relevant persons of the decisions and action taken. The Executive will, where appropriate, authorise the announcement of the decision to members and the public.

(b) Where a review of a disciplinary decision is initiated by any party to the investigation within the prescribed time, such review will reassess the material and documentation made available to those investigating the matter. New information is admissible at this stage so long as it is disclosed to all parties and they have a reasonable opportunity to respond to it.

(c) Reviews will be conducted by a Tribunal (appointed by the Executive), consisting of at least two Society members with power to consult as deemed appropriate. The Tribunal will advise the Executive whether:
(i) The decision should be upheld, or

(ii) A hearing may be required to reassess the case or determine the matters under review.

(d)  Where the Executive decides under 32.6 (c) that the appeal should be heard, the hearing is to be conducted by the reviewing Tribunal, which will co-opt to its membership at least one person approved by the Executive to represent the community interest and may also co-opt additional members with relevant specialist knowledge or expertise (as approved by the Executive). The Tribunal will invite relevant parties to make submissions where appropriate. The Chair (or another member) of the investigating committee may be required to attend to advise on the earlier enquiry and the basis for the original decision.

(e)  Following its consideration and hearing of the case, the Tribunal will recommend whether the Executive should:
(i) Uphold, modify or overturn the decision made under Rule 32.5; and/or
(ii) Uphold, modify or overturn the disciplinary action decided or recommendedunder Rule 32.5. Any of the disciplinary actions listed in Rule 32.5 may besubstituted by the Tribunal following the review.

(f)  The Executive will make the Society’s final decision by a simple majority vote (bypostal ballot if required) after consideration of the Tribunal’s recommendation. All relevant parties will be advised of the outcome of the review process and the decision will be announced to the membership and (where appropriate) the general public.

(g)  Those seeking review of decisions may be required to meet all or part of the costs of the review and hearing process and the Executive may from time to time set or impose fees to be prepaid on lodgement of review requests.

32.7 Any decision to terminate the membership of, or expel, any member requires a simple majority of the full Executive to vote in favour of the decision. The ballot on such a decision may be conducted by post and the result being declared by the Executive Director. Membership termination and expulsion decisions will be recorded in the Minutes of the Executive; and

(a)  Where the Executive decides to terminate a person’s membership, the ExecutiveDirector will notify the person in writing, requesting they resign from the Society. If the Member’s notice of resignation is not received within 30 calendar days of notification being posted to the Member, the Society will inform the Member in writing that their membership has been terminated and the Member’s membership shall thereupon be deemed to have been terminated.

(b)  Where the Executive decides to expel a Member, the Executive Director will notify the member in writing that the member has been expelled and the member shall be deemed to have been expelled from the date the Executive’s decision to that effect is declared by the Executive Director.