The TKPA is a charity run by unpaid volunteers who aim to do the best they can to support chronic Kidney disease (CKD) patients and their carers. They also work with NHS staff to develop the best services possible. We expect all members of the TKPA to deal with people and each other with patience and understanding.

Our volunteers and trustees are also entitled to be treated with respect and dignity by those they get involved with as part of their work for the TKPA. We recognise that supporting someone who is "unreasonable" places a strain on time and resources, takes volunteers away from their support priorities and causes undue stress. There are times when nothing can be done to rectify a real or perceived problem.

The aims of this policy are:

1. To identify situations where patients, carers or others involved with the TKPA may be considered "unreasonable" and to implement a policy where they can be treated equably and fairly.
2. To protect volunteers from nuisance, harassment or bullying, which may be caused by a person who is involved with the work of TKPA volunteers

People involved with the TKPA (or anyone acting on their behalf) will be seen as "unreasonable" where they meet one or more of the following criteria.

The patient care or other member of the public:

1. Has harassed, intimidated or been personally abusive, verbally aggressive, or threatening on more than one occasion towards any member acting on behalf of the TKPA.
2. Persists in pursuing an issue where the TKPA committee feels that an issue has been fully and properly explained, implemented and exhausted.
3. Continually raises new issues, concerns or questions once they have received a reply and volunteers feel that this is solely to maintain contact.
4. Is unwilling to accept documented evidence as being factual or claims they have not received a response, in spite of correspondence specifically answering their questions.
5. Does not accept that past events can be difficult to verify when a long period of time has elapsed.
6. Persistently asks the TKPA to intervene in issues or concerns, which are not part of the TKPA's remit.
7. Has had, in the course of addressing an issue, an unreasonably high number of contacts with the TKPA, placing excessive demands on volunteers' time and resources. A contact may be in person, by telephone, letter or e-mail. We will use our judgement to decide what is an unreasonably high number of contacts and this will be based on the specific circumstances of each individual case.
8. Displays unreasonable demands or expectations and fails to accept that these may be unreasonable (for example, insists on responses to enquiries being provided more urgently than is reasonable or contrary to recognised practice).

Where there are concerns, in accordance with the above criteria, that a service user may be becoming "unreasonable", the matter should be referred, in the first instance, to the chairman or vice-chairman, who will decide what action to take. If it is agreed that this policy should be implemented the three-point procedure (below) should be followed, in consultation with the committee.

Stage 1. When it is felt that the service user is acting irresponsibly, they should be advised in writing about this policy and how their behaviour or actions match the criteria. Where appropriate. They should be provided with a list of previous communications relating to the issue(s) and what actions have been taken to address them. The service user should be given a specified time (10 working days) in which to respond in writing answering the points put to them and/or outlining what they feel is still outstanding from the issue(s) they have raised.

Stage 2. If on receipt of the reply letter, the chairman or vice-chairman feels that the service user is clearly acting unreasonably, the chairman or vice chairman will advise them that the TKPA feels that they have fulfilled their obligations and can go no further with it.

Stage 3. Where it is considered that behaviour amounting to harassment, intimidation or abuse the chairman or vice-chairman may bar the person, if a non-member, from further TKPA meetings. If the person involved is a member the chairman or vice-chairman shall take this to the committee, so that the appropriate steps can be taken to terminate that person's membership.

Agreed at the committee meeting of 12/2/2008.

Simon Lloyd, chairman