Service improvements

Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council

Showing service improvements between 1 April 2025 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 1 - 4 of 4 cases with service improvements

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Downloads the current filtered list of service improvement decisions for Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council as a CSV file.

  • Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council (24 018 663)

    Category: Education Date: 27-Jul-2025

    Summary

    Ms X complained that the Council delayed issuing her child’s final Education, Health and Care Plan following an annual review. She also says the Council failed to respond to her request for a Personal Budget in 2024. We find the Council at fault for its delays in the annual review process, and for failing to respond to Ms X’s request for a Personal Budget in this time. This fault resulted in the delay of Ms X’s appeal rights and caused avoidable distress and uncertainty for the family. The Council has agreed to apologise to Ms X, pay her £250, and remind its staff of their statutory duty to respond to Personal Budget requests.

    Service improvements

    The Council will issue written reminders to relevant staff to ensure they are aware of the Personal Budget process, and that all Personal Budget requests are responded to.

  • Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council (24 018 192)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 17-Sep-2025

    Summary

    Mr B complained the Council reclaimed surplus direct payment funds from his son, Mr C’s, direct payment account which left him without respite support. He also complained the Council told the family they could no longer use their respite provider as they did not have a Care Quality Commission (CQC) registration. There was fault by the Council. The Council did not ensure annual reviews were carried out for Mr C’s direct payment account. Because of the fault, Mr B and Mr C suffered distress and uncertainty while the Council investigated matters and carried out a review of Mr C’s direct payment account. The Council has agreed to apologise to Mr B and Mr C, make symbolic payments, and issue staff briefings.

    Service improvements

    The Council will remind relevant staff of the importance of ensuring direct payment accounts are audited at least annually. This will help to ensure appropriate oversight of direct payment accounts and prevent unspent funds accruing.The Council will advise relevant staff to direct service users who are arranging respite services through direct payments, to advice about Care Quality Commission registration. This will help to ensure respite providers hold the appropriate Care Quality Commission registration for services they provide.

  • Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council (24 012 171)

    Category: Education Date: 10-Nov-2025

    Summary

    Miss X complained that the Council failed to provide appropriate support for her daughter, J. We find that the Council failed to issue a final Education, Health and Care Plan, failed to ensure J received all the provision set out in her Plan, and failed to ensure she received the support it had identified she needed as a child in need. The Council has agreed to apologise, make payments to Miss X and J, and issue a final Plan without further delay. It has also agreed to make service improvements.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to provide us with evidence of the actions it is taking to improve its Special Educations Needs and Disabilities service, and in particular, details of the action it will take when gaps in provision are reported, and how it will ensure it is able to meet the statutory timescales for issuing Education, Health and Care Plans.The Council has agreed to provide us with evidence of the actions it is taking to improve its children’s social care services, and in particular, how it intends to minimise social worker turnover and details of the action it is taking to ensure it manages Child in Need cases in accordance with its statutory duties.

  • Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council (23 013 452)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 17-Dec-2025

    Summary

    Mr X’s main complaint is that the Council failed to properly assess his needs in July 2023 and then failed to respond to his complaint about the assessment. We find that the Council did not follow the correct process as it failed to send a copy of Mr X’s assessment to him and then deleted the assessment. The Council also did not respond to Mr X's complaint about the assessment. However, the Council’s offer of a re-assessment soon after Mr X complained, has mitigated a lot of the injustice Mr X suffered because of the fault.

    Service improvements

    Remind relevant staff to provide a copy of the assessment and care plan to the assessed person, regardless of any dispute.Ensure relevant staff understand the Council’s duty to make reasonable adjustments and know how to identify, record, and act on a request for reasonable adjustments. It will provide training or guidance as needed.

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