Service improvements

Durham County Council

Showing service improvements between 1 April 2021 and 31 March 2026

Find out more about service improvements

When we find fault, we can recommend improvements to systems and processes where they haven’t worked properly, so that others do not suffer from these same problems in future. Common examples are policy changes; procedural reviews; and staff training. Service improvements from decisions are published for 5 years and those from reports are published for 10 years.

Showing 31 - 36 of 36 cases with service improvements

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Downloads the current filtered list of service improvement decisions for Durham County Council as a CSV file.

  • Durham County Council (21 003 577)

    Category: Benefits and tax Date: 14-Jan-2022

    Summary

    Miss X complained the Council refused her application for discretionary housing payment. There was fault in the Council’s actions in the way it considered Miss X’s application, but this did not lead to an injustice. The Council also failed to refer Miss X to the welfare benefit team which caused her uncertainty. The Council agreed to apologise to Miss X and complete the referral to the welfare benefits team.

    Service improvements

    The Council will remind staff of the importance of consistency when considering expenditure, and to follow the procedure for considering universal credit advance payment recovery, in financial assessments for discretionary housing payment applications..

  • Durham County Council (21 002 942)

    Category: Education Date: 25-Jan-2022

    Summary

    Mrs C complained the Council wrongly refused her daughter free school transport when she moved to a new school. The Council has since agreed to provide Mrs C’s daughter with free school transport. However, we found the Council at fault for failing to provide a school transport appeal process for Mrs C as set out in the Government’s statutory guidance. The Council agreed to apologise to Mrs C for the uncertainty this caused and review its school transport policy.

    Service improvements

    b)review its Home to Primary, Secondary and Special School Transport Policy to ensure it provides an appeal process as set out in the Government’s Home to School, travel and transport statutory guidance.

  • Durham County Council (21 002 373)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 07-Dec-2021

    Summary

    We upheld Mrs X’s complaint about her late father’s care in a council-funded care home. The failings in care were neglect. The Council will apologise, make a symbolic payment and take action described in this statement to minimise the risk of recurrence.

    Service improvements

    The Council will ensure the Care Home reviews and revises relevant procedures so that in future a resident receives close observation for an appropriate period of time following a physical altercation involving another resident.

  • Durham County Council (20 012 077)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 13-Oct-2021

    Summary

    There were some failures in the care provider’s care and treatment of Mr X which may have caused Mr X’s weight loss and poor hygiene. The Council (which commissioned the care) has apologised where there were failings. To remedy the injustice arising from the commissioned care provider’s failings, the Council agrees to offer Mr X a sum proportionate to the distress caused to him. Mr X has now left the home.

    Service improvements

    The Council has taken steps to improve its procedures and will confirm to the LGSCO that the steps taken are satisfactory in terms of its contract monitoring.

  • Durham County Council (20 005 046)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 01-Jul-2021

    Summary

    Ms C complained the Council has failed to meet her needs. The hours the Council allocated are not enough and she has not had support from a care agency since April 2020. The Ombudsman found fault with the actions of the Council. The Council has agreed to pay Ms C £3,640 for not receiving support since April 2020, and share the lessons learned with its staff.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to share the lessons learned around assessing fluctuating care needs, with relevant adult social care staff and assessors.The Council will also inform the Ombudsman of the wider audit it is carrying out in the way care agency B has invoiced the Council.

  • Durham County Council (20 002 566)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 12-Jul-2021

    Summary

    Mrs X complained about the care commissioned by the Council when her late father, Mr Y had a respite stay at Cedar Court. She said the Care Provider did not prevent Mr Y from having several falls and did not take medical advice when he had chest pains. She also said it did not tell Mrs Y about the falls or chest pain and took too long responding to her complaint. She says this caused them significant distress. We found the Care Provider failed to keep Mrs Y informed about the falls, chest pain and progress with her complaint. This put Mr Y at a significantly increased risk of harm. I do not find fault by the Care Provider in the action it took to prevent falls or the way it dealt with the chest pain. The Council has agreed to apologise and arrange to reimburse Mr Y’s estate with 50% of his fees. It has also agreed to take action to ensure the Care Provider’s practice, and its own, avoids similar failings in future.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to review the Care Provider’s practice to ensure that people supporting residents are consulted with where appropriate and kept suitably informed.The Council has agreed to review the Care Provider’s practice to ensure records and documentation are properly completed particularly around: •Personal information. •Falls and head injuries. •Contact with family and others. •Mental capacity. •Daily logs.The Council has agreed to ensure both the Council’s and care providers’ complaints processes consider potential conflicts with investigations by other bodies at the earliest opportunity. This should ensure that complaints are only put on hold where essential.The Council has agreed to review practice by social workers generally, to ensure care providers have all necessary information about individuals referred by the Council.

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