Issue - meetings

Report of the Director of Health and Care

The Complaints, School Appeals and Access to Information Manager informed the Committee that during 2019 the LGSCO launched several investigations in relation to the care and support provided to a citizen who has mental health and physical health problems.   The Complainant was the subject of previous recommendations from the LGSCO after delays in completing a Care Act assessment last autumn. The Authority had accepted the Ombudsman’s recommendations requiring the Chief Executive to write to apologise for the distress caused and provide compensation of £500. The apology and payment were made through Midlands Partnership Foundation Trust (MPFT) but unfortunately were delayed, which resulted in a further complaint and the current report.

Whilst acknowledging that there were some failings with the initial assessment and the delays in apology and compensation, the Council had made representations to the Ombudsman on previous and ongoing difficulties in engaging with the complainant.  The findings of the LGSCO investigation were published in September 2019. The report stated that the Council had been at fault because, for a second time it had failed to send the apology or payment within the agreed timescale; and it had failed to identify adequate service improvement to prevent the problems experienced by the complainant from being repeated.

The Committee was disappointed that the case had come back to the Committee and that the recommendations had not been actioned the first time, holding the view that whilst the complainant had been difficult to engage with, this did not excuse the delay in action.

RESOLVED: The report be noted.