To review and note the contents of the report.

The Panel considered the report that provided an overview of the performance of the Council in respect of receiving, handling and responding to complaints received to Adult and Children Services. The report covered the periods 1 April 2014 to 31 March 2015 and 1 April 2015 to 31 March 2016.

The Panel were informed that there was a statutory frameworks in place governing the complaints process for Adult and Children’s social care This was outside the formal corporate complaints service. The management and administration of this function was moved within the Operations and Customer Services Directorate. This ensured that there is independence between the officer coordinating the investigation and the service areas being investigated.

The Pane were told that between February 2014 and February 2015 the complaints officer role was vacant due to the previous post holder leaving and challenges recruiting a suitable alternative. As a result the recording of the complaints during this period was not as accurate as it should have been and since March 2016 officers were raising awareness of the complaints process and improve the recording of complaints being received.

The Panel noted that tables 1 and 2 of the report showed complaints activity across Children’s and Adults Directorates for the years 2014/15 and 2015/16 and compared them with the previously reported activity for 2013-14.

With regards to Adult Services the Panel were informed that there is no specific timescale for dealing with statutory adults services social care complaints. The timescales were negotiated between the complaints team, the manager of the service being investigated and the customer making the complaint.  As the Council was committed to ensuring an early resolution these complaints were measures in the same timeframe as statutory children’s complaints.

The Panel were informed that complaints provided important information on service provision and improvements in process.  With regards to Adults Services the Panel were given the following examples of how we had learnt from complaints received:

·         Implementing training and systems to try and ensure issues with delays are

not repeated.

·         Team Manager discussed with Social Worker who reflected on how they may

have been perceived.

·         Internal communication to be improved around letters/complaints received.

·         Ensure staff respond to queries as they arise.

Cllr Jones asked about the structure of the complaints team and was informed that it was situated within Customer Services and there was a statutory complaints officer, corporate complaints officer and a new post called a ‘Residents Champion’.

Cllr M Airey asked if there was any concern about the number of complaints responded to within the 10 to 20 working day timeframe especially complex cases.  The Panel were informed that when a complaint was received the component elements were established and discussed with officers about their ability to provide a response within the timeframe.  This process identified the more complex cases that would require more time to process.

Cllr M Airey also asked if we had a better referral system or if complaints were more complex and was informed that we were seeing both especially around cases where young people were transferring from Children’s Services into Adult Services.  The team make sure an appropriate response is sent even if this is not the resolution the client is after.  

Cllr Lenton mentioned that on page 51 of the report figure 2 showed 12 complaints regarding Safeguarding and Children in Care Service yet figure 3 mentioned that there was only 1 complaint regarding safeguarding issues.  The Panel were informed that the 12 complaints were not safeguarding issues but may have been complaints about the team.

Councillor Hollingsworth asked what happened when a complaint went across more then one team and was informed that these were dealt with by the Head of Customer Services who quality controlled the appropriate responses.

Cllr Jones mentioned that Members were often contacted by residents with complaints and asked how they were captured.  The Panel were informed that the team could only record complaints if they were aware of them and Members should be encouraged to report complaints when received.

Cllr M Airey asked if the lessons learnt and teams KPI’s would be brought to Panel and was informed that there was a complaints work plan due to be implemented and this could be brought to Panel, they may also be an option of showing complaints by ward that Members may find useful.

The Panel noted the report and thanked the Head of Customer Services for attending the meeting.