Service improvements

London Borough of Enfield

Showing service improvements between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024

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 11 cases with service improvements

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Downloads the current filtered list of service improvement decisions for London Borough of Enfield as a CSV file.

  • London Borough of Enfield (23 007 975)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 17-Jan-2024

    Summary

    The Council was at fault for the way it carried out an Occupational Therapist assessment of Ms X. This caused her injustice as Ms X cannot be sure her needs were properly considered and Ms X could have received an assessment under the Care Act 2014 sooner. To remedy the injustice caused, the Council agreed to apologise to Ms X, make a payment for the distress she experienced and carry out an new Occupational Therapist assessment.

    Service improvements

    Consider whether it can do anything to put in place measures which record how long an Occupational Therapist’s assessment takes. So if there are any disputes, the Council has a record of how long an Occupational Therapist spent assessing someone.

  • London Borough of Enfield (23 005 849)

    Category: Housing Date: 18-Jan-2024

    Summary

    Ms B complained that the Council had failed to find her and her daughter suitable temporary accommodation since 29 November 2022 when they had been living in bed and breakfast (B&B) accommodation for six weeks. It had only made her one offer of accommodation at very short notice, 250 miles away and failed to review the suitability of that offer. We found fault with the Council’s actions. The Council has agreed to find alternative accommodation for Ms B, pay her £5000 for the time she has spent in B&B accommodation and improve its procedures for the future.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to produce a published policy or procedure explaining how the transfer list works, including the criteria for being placed on the list, the criteria for priority within the list and how temporary accommodation is allocated within the list.The Council has agreed to carry out a review of its procurement of temporary accommodation and identify ways of increasing the supply of different types of temporary accommodation suitable for families.The Council has agreed to review the way in which it makes offers of out-of-borough accommodation to ensure sufficient time is allowed to consider the offer and that sufficient reasons are given as to why the Council considers the offer is suitable.

  • London Borough of Enfield (23 004 670)

    Category: Housing Date: 02-Jan-2024

    Summary

    Miss K complained about the Council’s handling of her homeless applications since late 2022. We found the Council failed to properly consider her application and provide her with interim accommodation when she was at risk or threatened with violence. It also caused delays in its complaints handling. There was no fault in the Council’s handling of her homeless application since February 2023. The Council will apologise to Miss K and make payment to acknowledge the injustice this caused her and her family.

    Service improvements

    The Council will provide training to its housing officers responsible for considering homeless applications. This is to ensure all officers have a clear understanding of its duties under the Housing Act 1996 and the Homelessness Code of Guidance in circumstances where an applicant may be at risk or threatened with violence.The Council will remind its officers and managers responsible for responding to complaints to adhere to the Council’s Complaints Policy. This is to ensure it respond to complaints within agreed timescales, it keeps complainants informed if there are delays in the process and provides a new date for when its respond will be received.

  • London Borough of Enfield (23 004 201)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 13-Feb-2024

    Summary

    The Council failed to properly consider Mrs B’s disability-related expenditure when determining how much she should contribute towards the cost of her care. It also failed to clearly explain its intentions in relation to the recovery of unpaid contributions. The Council has agreed to write-off some of the unpaid contributions and review Mrs B’s requests for items to be considered disability-related expenditure. It has also agreed to make service improvements.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to provide guidance to its officers to ensure they fully explain their reasons for not agreeing any claimed DRE, and that they do not fetter their discretion.

  • London Borough of Enfield (23 001 518)

    Category: Education Date: 09-Oct-2023

    Summary

    There was fault by the Council, because it delayed arranging alternative provision for a child out of school, and because the tuition he then received did not cover an adequate range of subjects. There was also fault, because the Council did not respond promptly to messages it received from the complainant at important times. The Council has agreed to formally apologise for these faults, and offer a financial remedy to reflect the injustice they caused.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to circulate guidance to all relevant staff, to ensure they are aware they should take steps to maintain the provisions of an EHC plan, where practical, during a period of alternative provision.

  • London Borough of Enfield (23 000 001)

    Category: Other Categories Date: 25-Oct-2023

    Summary

    Mr X complained about how the Council took action against him over a structure on his allotment. There was fault in how the Council communicated with Mr X about breaches of its allotment terms and conditions. This caused Mr X avoidable confusion for which the Council agreed to apologise. It also agreed to review how it manages breaches of terms and conditions in future.

    Service improvements

    The Council agreed to review its process for managing breaches of allotment terms and conditions. It should ensure it has a clear process for issuing and following up on warnings; and masked decisions consistently and at the right times.

  • London Borough of Enfield (22 011 423)

    Category: Education Date: 23-Jul-2023

    Summary

    Ms X complained about how the Council met her son, W’s, specialist educational needs. The Council was at fault for failing to secure some of the provision in W’s Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans. It was also at fault for significant delay in completing the EHC plan annual review process. This caused Ms X substantial avoidable frustration and meant W missed out on provision he should have had. The Council will apologise to Ms X and W and pay Ms X £3500 in recognition of the injustice she and W experienced. It will also arrange the provision W is missing, carry out staff training and review its processes.

    Service improvements

    The Council will remind staff there are no reasons set out in law that allow it to not carry out an annual review of a child or young person's Education, Health and Care plan, and issue its decision letter at least every 12 months. It cannot allow annual reviews to be 'superseded' or 'not finalised'.The Council will review its systems for ensuring a child or young person is receiving the Special Educational Need provision in their Education, Health and Care plan and for acting when it finds out provision is missing, whether that is through an annual review, complaint or otherwise. Where the Council finds areas for improvement, it will send the Ombudsman an action plan setting out the steps it will take and by when.

  • London Borough of Enfield (22 009 435)

    Category: Housing Date: 20-Apr-2023

    Summary

    Mr X complained about the Council’s lack of support when he became homeless. The Council was at fault for failing to review its decision to end its housing duty and for poor record keeping in relation to the storage and collection of his belongings. The Council will apologise and pay him £100 for the distress and uncertainty in relation to the loss of his belongings and give guidance to staff.

    Service improvements

    The Council will remind staff about the need to keep a record of advice given about the storage of belongings and arrangements for collection, the items stored and the date of disposal for people leaving interim accommodation.The Council will remind staff about the duty to carry out a review when one is requested following a Council decision to end its housing duty.

  • London Borough of Enfield (22 009 058)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 12-Apr-2023

    Summary

    Mrs X complained on behalf of Mrs Y. She complained Mrs Y unexpectedly received a large bill for residential care without having any information about charges from the Council. Mrs X also complained Mrs Y had to stay in the care home despite wanting to go home. Mrs X says this caused her and Mrs Y distress when they received the large bill. There was fault in the way the Council delayed completing an assessment and did not listen to Mrs Y’s wishes. Mrs X and Mrs Y suffered distress receiving the large bill. The Council should only charge Mrs Y the non-residential contribution for her care while she remained in the care home after expressing her wish to leave.

    Service improvements

    •Issue guidance to relevant staff on the importance of acting in accordance with individual wishes when that person has capacity to make decisions.•Issue guidance to relevant staff on the importance of providing information about residential charges and financial assessments before an individual becomes liable for costs.

  • London Borough of Enfield (22 007 321)

    Category: Housing Date: 13-Feb-2024

    Summary

    The Council failed to provide Mrs B with suitable accommodation when she was homeless. It also failed to review Mrs B’s housing priority when it introduced a new housing allocations scheme, which prevented Mrs B from being able to bid for social housing. The Council has agreed to apologise and make a payment to Mrs B. It has also agreed to make service improvements.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to review the way it records the allocation of temporary accommodation to ensure it can evidence that it has been allocated fairly in accordance with its procedures.

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