AAHEP - Association for Animals, Horticultural & Equine Practitioners

This Policy Covers

Direct complaints against individual practitioners currently listed on the Accredited Practitioner Register, where any of the following apply:

• 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 concern.

This Policy Does Not Cover

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

The Register is committed to maintaining the highest standards of professional practice. We:

• Encourage concerns to be raised early and directly with the practitioner, following their own complaints policy.
• Take all compliments and complaints seriously and engage with all parties involved.
• Value the time taken to provide feedback and use it to drive service improvements.
• Review all complaints fairly and objectively through the Professional Conduct Review Committee (PCRC).
• Investigate thoroughly and seek amicable resolutions wherever possible.
• Maintain a formal record of all compliments and complaints received.

If you wish to formally compliment the Register on any aspect of our service or a practitioner's work, you can do so in writing by post or email to [email protected].

We appreciate all positive feedback and share it with the relevant teams and practitioners.

We work to maintain high professional standards among all registered practitioners, but we recognise that issues can sometimes arise.

• Wherever possible, service users and the public should first try to resolve issues directly with the practitioner through their own complaints process.
• In exceptional cases — such as serious breaches of professional conduct — complaints can be made directly to the Register.
• The Register's Complaints page provides full details on how to submit a complaint and how it will be handled.
• All complaints are referred to the Professional Conduct Review Committee, which determines whether they meet the threshold for formal proceedings.
• Where 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 in accordance with the Professional Conduct Publication Policy.

All registered practitioners are required to have their own complaints policies and processes in place. In the event of a complaint, we encourage service users to first seek resolution directly with the practitioner concerned.

However, we recognise this may not always be appropriate, and some individuals may not feel comfortable raising complaints directly. In these circumstances, complaints can be raised with the Register.

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

• Find out more about our complaints process
• Raise a complaint

We welcome all feedback to help us continuously improve our services. If you have suggestions, observations, or ideas, please email [email protected].

If any party instructs solicitors in relation to a complaint, the Register will communicate exclusively through the appointed legal representatives. This does not prevent any individual from seeking independent legal advice at any stage of the process.

Our Data Protection Policy (available at aahep.uk) explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal information throughout the complaints process and beyond.