Service improvements

East Sussex County Council

Showing service improvements between 1 April 2021 and 31 March 2022

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 1 - 10 of 10 cases with service improvements

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

  • East Sussex County Council (21 011 045)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 25-Mar-2022

    Summary

    Dr B complained ESC Council and the NHS Trust failed to properly safeguard her when it undertook an investigation into allegations of physical assault when she lived in a care home jointly funded by the CCG and BHC Council. She also complained about the home’s investigation and its decision to serve notice to end the placement. We found fault in the safeguarding protection plan put in place by ESC Council and as a result Dr B experienced avoidable distress. We also found fault in the way the jointly funded home completed its investigation, and this is likely to have meant Dr B missed an opportunity to have her views and outcomes properly recorded. The Councils and the CCG agreed to our recommendations and will arrange for Dr B to receive a written apology for the injustice caused. ESC Council will also remind its officers of the importance of updating safeguarding documentation.

    Service improvements

    The Council also failed to complete a safeguarding form correctly which would have helped Dr B's care provider understand the scope of investigation. The Council will remind its officers of the importance of safeguarding investigation documentation properly to include setting out the scope for provider investigations.

  • East Sussex County Council (21 006 916)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 04-Jan-2022

    Summary

    The investigation into the way the Council dealt with Mrs Y’s direct payments will be discontinued. The Council has proposed a fair remedy and we would not be able to add anything to the outcome.

    Service improvements

    Implement identified learning in relation to improving its advice and guidance to family members who are formally appointed via a direct payment agreement. The Council will also improve processes to ensure that all formal requirements are put in place from the outset of the agreement.

  • East Sussex County Council (21 006 531)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 28-Mar-2022

    Summary

    Mrs X complained the Council placed her in unsuitable care homes in 2017. She also complained it failed to support her in her payment dispute with a care home in 2021. We found the Council at fault for its failure to properly consider and support her with her payment dispute with the care home it placed her in. The Council has agreed to apologise to Mrs X. We have not considered Mrs X’s 2017 concerns. This part of her complaint was late.

    Service improvements

    b)remind its staff when the Council has assessed a person as eligible for support and it has arranged the provision of care, the Council remains responsible for care placements. This includes disputes about charges and payments for care provision delivered by third party care providers.

  • East Sussex County Council (21 004 468)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 24-Jan-2022

    Summary

    Mr X complains the Council failed to provide transport to his son’s day centre, sent a reminder for an invoice it had not sent and expected his son to pay for services he did not receive because of COVID-19. He says this left his son without support and his parents with no respite. The Council accepts it failed to provide transport and sent a reminder for an invoice it had not sent, and has apologised. It was also at fault for failing to discuss the options for using his son’s direct payments. This prevented Mr X from making informed decisions about using them. The Council needs to apologise, pay financial redress and provide evidence of the action it has taken to ensure it does not send reminders for invoices it has not sent.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to provide evidence of the action it has taken to ensure it does not send reminders for invoices it has not sent.

  • East Sussex County Council (21 002 947)

    Category: Education Date: 07-Dec-2021

    Summary

    Ms C complained the Council failed to make arrangements to provide suitable alternative education otherwise than at school for her son, X, who was not able to attend school. She said the school where he was on roll was not able to meet his needs. As a result X did not receive any education for a year. There was fault which caused injustice to Ms C and X. The Council will apologise, make a payment and review its procedures.

    Service improvements

    The Council will review the approach it takes to the provision of alternative education for children who are not in school for whatever reason. It should provide training and appropriate guidance to staff. It will tell us of the action taken.

  • East Sussex County Council (21 000 768)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 17-Nov-2021

    Summary

    Mrs C complains the Council’s charging assessment for residential care is wrong. The Council is at fault for failing to consider motivation when concluding there was a deprivation of assets. This has caused uncertainty about whether the assessed charge is correct. The Council has agreed to apologise to the complainant, reassess the charge taking into account motivation, and remind staff of the need to consider motivation in decisions of this type.

    Service improvements

    remind staff about the need to include/record motivation when making decisions about a deprivation of assets.

  • East Sussex County Council (21 000 339)

    Category: Education Date: 04-Nov-2021

    Summary

    Mrs X complained the Council failed to ensure her grandson, Mr Y, received some of the provision named in his Education, Health and Care plan. The Council was at fault when it failed to secure some of Mr Y’s special educational provision. This led to Mr Y missing out on support he needed and caused Mrs X distress and frustration. The Council was also at fault in the way it considered Mrs X’s personal budget request. The Council has agreed to apologise, pay Mrs X and Mr Y £4,050 and make service changes. We have therefore completed our investigation.

    Service improvements

    The Council will share this decision with its workers to ensure they are aware of their duties in recording their personal budget decision making process, and the requirement to share information about personal budgets with the applicants early on in the process.

  • East Sussex County Council (20 010 151)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 27-Aug-2021

    Summary

    Mrs X complained about the care the late Mrs Y received at Hastings Court (the Care Provider), commissioned by the Council. She said it failed to give her medication properly and to prevent her falling. It also left Mrs Y alone, struggling to breathe and failed to call for medical attention. She said this significantly impacted on Mrs Y’s health and wellbeing. We find the Care Provider did not give Mrs Y her medication properly. It did not monitor Mrs Y adequately following a fall and did not keep adequate records. This put Mrs Y at an increased risk of harm. The Council has agreed to apologise, waive 50% of Mrs Y’s charges and review placements at Hastings Court.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to review any Council funded residents at Hastings Court with a particular focus on the accuracy of daily care notes in supporting whether needs are being met. Also, that time sensitive medication is administered as required.The Council has agreed to consider whether more action needs to be taken before the Council makes further placements with Hastings Court

  • East Sussex County Council (20 008 003)

    Category: Education Date: 09-Dec-2021

    Summary

    Miss Y complains about the Council’s decision not to provide taxi transport for her son, Mr Y, to attend college. We find the Council’s decision making was flawed because there is no evidence to show the appeal panel considered all relevant factors in Mr Y’s case. The Council should retake its decision, apologise and pay £200 in recognition of the avoidable time and trouble caused by fault.

    Service improvements

    The Council will also: •provide evidence to show it has reviewed the wording in section 3.2 of its ‘SEND 16-19 Transport Assistance Policy’ to ensure consistency with section 6.1 and to comply with the requirements of the legislation and statutory government guidance.

  • East Sussex County Council (19 018 519)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 07-Mar-2022

    Summary

    The complainant, Ms B, said she learnt in 2020 the Council, the Trust and two Clinical Commissioning Groups did not properly consider her daughter’s, Miss G’s, entitlement to free aftercare following her detainment under the Mental Health Act 1983. She also complained about the care and support provided to Miss G by the Council and the Trust. On the evidence available, we found that Miss G was not entitled to free aftercare. However, poor record keeping by the authorities led to confusion and Ms B’s uncertainty about Miss G’s entitlement to free aftercare. It also meant one of the CCG’s did not consider Miss G for healthcare funding when it should have. The Council and the Trust did not work together to complete the actions in Miss G’s discharge plan when she was released from detention and the Council did not complete care and support planning documentation properly. The authorities agreed to our recommendations and will reassess Miss G’s needs and entitlement to healthcare funding. The Council, the Trust and one of the CCG’s will apologise to Ms B and Miss G and make an acknowledgement payment. The Council will remind its officers of the importance of completing care and support planning documentation in line with best practice and statutory guidance.

    Service improvements

    The Council will remind its officers of the importance of completing care and support planning documentation properly in line with best practice and statutory guidance. It will remind its officers about the importance of sharing care and support planning documentation with those being assessed and their representatives. It will also consider whether refresher training on the care and support planning process if necessary.

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