9.1 Introduction (all stages)

Once a review has been carried out there is no option for a second review, unless the outcome of the first review was that the case should be re-opened. 

In those cases, if the complainant requests a review of the decision made on the re-opened case, they can do so. It will be carried out by a reviewer not involved in the previous decision or the first review. However, because of the way ECHO is set up the second review will not normally be recorded on the PDR screen. The only time the PDR screen will be amended as a result of a second review is if the decision is changed yet again. In which case the reviewer should first take a screen shot of the first PDR screen and put this into Notes and Analysis before overwriting the first PDR on workflow to, instead, reflect the outcome of the second review.

Second reviews should be recorded on the ‘Other contact’ screen. There is an option in the ‘Nature of Contact’ to record ‘PDR decision review request’. The screen can then be completed to record the outcome of the second review. The outcome options are:

• Decision changed
• Decision confirmed
• Decision confirmed – further explanation needed.

It is only if the ‘decision changed’ option is used that the PDR screen itself should be amended. In those cases, it depends on whether further enquiries were needed again or whether it is just the reviewer changing the decision. If the reviewer is changing the decision, they should follow the instructions for Decision amended and explained (substantive). If further enquiries are needed, follow the instructions for Decision not sound and justified – further enquiries needed (substantive). 

The following are options available in the ‘Action Taken’ field. When a reviewer completes a review, they will need to choose at least two options: the option to identify who they are, and their decision. However, because the ‘other contact’ screen does not have the functionality of the PDR screen, certain decisions will need to be recorded in specific ways.

• DofI&A responded
• CSM responded
• AM responded
• ITL responded
• AO responded
• Decision confirmed
• Case re-opened
• Decision confirmed – further explanation needed
• Decision changed.

Where the reviewer has decided that the decision was correct, or that the decision was correct but further explanation was needed, they should record the detail of who responded and either ‘decision confirmed’ or ‘decision confirmed – further explanation needed’.

9.2 Where the reviewer has decided that the decision on the complaint was wrong, but that it does not need to be progressed through to the next business process (Assessment only)

In these cases, the reviewer should record ‘case re-opened’ alongside the detail of who responded. The original decision screen will need to be overwritten with the new decision and new decision date. The reviewer should record what the old decision was, and what it was changed to in the ‘Lessons learned’ free text box along with any comments they need to make about good or poor practice.

9.3 Where the reviewer has decided that the decision on the complaint was wrong and that the complaint needs to be progressed through to the next business process (Assessment only)

In these cases, the reviewer should record ‘Decision changed’ and ‘Case re-opened’, alongside the detail of who responded. The original decision screen will need to be overwritten with the new decision and new decision date. The reviewer should record what the old decision was, and what it was changed to in the ‘Lessons learned’ free text box along with any comments they need to make about good or poor practice. The decision statement needs moving from the statement for publication folder to the decision folder.