Case Ref: 22 009 012 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Residential care

• Remind staff at the care home of the need to have proper records of any pain monitoring, especially when recommended by medical advice.
• Provide evidence to the Ombudsman the care home has in fact provided care staff with training in pain management and addressed the communication issues with its staff.

Case Ref: 21 010 250 Category: Children's care services Sub Category: Disabled children

• By training or other means, reminds social workers and other relevant staff of their duties under the Equality Act 2010 and the importance of recording the details of non-resident fathers, including them in assessments and sharing the outcome with them.

Case Ref: 21 008 009 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Assessment and care plan

• The Council will remind relevant staff to: issue invoices for care charges in a timely manner; explain to clients the option of splitting payments between a commissioned care package and direct payments where appropriate to meet their needs; and to explain to clients in a timely manner the implications of employing non-registered personal assistants to allow informed decisions to be made.

Case Ref: 21 001 280 Category: Planning Sub Category: Planning applications

• Remind the Planning, Policy and Building Control department of the importance of keeping complainants up to date with the progress of its investigations.
• Remind the Customer Feedback, Information and Improvement Team about the corporate complaint procedures timescales and the importance of meeting these.

Case Ref: 20 013 473 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council has taken significant action to resolve the issues identified through Mr X’s complaint. However, the Council has also agreed to make the following service improvements: a) review and update its guidance to staff on mediation to ensure full compliance with statutory processes and expectations; b) finalise and publish the information toolkits on transitioning to adulthood and the EHC Plan processes; c) carry out a sample review of the last two months of Transition referrals to adult social services to ensure young people are transitioning in accordance with policy and legislation. This was recommended in the IIO’s report; d) send a reminder to relevant staff on the circumstances where children and young people should be offered an independent advocate; e) review its Local Offer to ensure there is an accessible version for individuals who struggle with IT/internet access and the section on transitioning to adulthood complies with the SEND Code of Practice; and, f) share this decision with relevant staff, including those involved in the statutory complaints decision-making process.

Case Ref: 20 010 785 Category: Planning Sub Category: Planning applications

• The Council has agreed to resolve a planning document management issue and publish documents in line with the Openness of Local Government Bodies Regulations 2014, and the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012. It will establish temporary solutions or ‘work arounds’ to ensure that as many documents as possible that should be available under the regulations are published on its website, and will check that other council services whose work is caught by the regulations are operating lawfully. The Council will refer this remedy to its relevant scrutiny committee and ask it to monitor and check compliance.

Case Ref: 20 009 734 Category: Benefits and tax Sub Category: COVID-19

• The Council will tell relevant staff to carry out Equality Impact Assessments in advance of deciding any new funding process.

Case Ref: 20 002 315 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council has agreed to discuss my decision with relevant complaint-handling staff, and ensure they understand the Ombudsman will criticise a decision not to register a complaint on the basis it has already been investigated, where it clearly raises new issues.

Case Ref: 19 008 029 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council will review its processes to ensure that it issues Education Health and Care plans, and amended plans, within statutory timescales.
• The Council will review its processes to ensure that it carries out an annual review of all Education Health and Care plans at least every 12 months, and writes to parents or guardians with its decision about whether it will cease, maintain or amend the plan, with relevant appeal rights.