Case Ref: 23 004 851 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Assessment and care plan

• The Council has agreed to:review the complaint handling in this complaint and if applicable produce an action plan to avoid future reoccurrence;
• review the initial delay in the allocation of a social worker and if applicable produce an action plan to avoid future reoccurrence;
• remind staff by way of a staff circular or through team meetings about the completion of assessments and support plans so that they are clear and provide a justification for service decisions;
• remind staff by way of a staff circular or through team meetings about sending copies of assessments to participants.

Case Ref: 23 011 451 Category: Housing Sub Category: Allocations

• The Council will issue written reminders to relevant staff to ensure they are aware of the timescales set out in its complaints policy.

Case Ref: 23 009 455 Category: Housing Sub Category: Homelessness

• Provide the Ombudsman with information about the number of requests for reviews which are currently outstanding and the average waiting time for a decision.
• Provide up an action plan, with targets, to clear any identified backlog of review requests.

Case Ref: 23 008 444 Category: Housing Sub Category: Homelessness

• The Council has agreed to provide relevant staff with a copy of this decision statement.

Case Ref: 23 006 457 Category: Housing Sub Category: Allocations

• The Council will send a reminder to officers dealing with medical assessments to ensure they are aware of the need to explain the reasoning for decisions on medical priority and that any medical evidence should be taken on its simple reading rather than interpreted.

Case Ref: 23 005 902 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council will review its policy for checking EHC plan provision. It should ensure it has systems in place to check the provision when a new or substantially changed plan is issued, when there is a new placement, and when concerns are raised.
• The Council will share any new policy issued with staff in the education department.

Case Ref: 23 005 658 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Assessment and care plan

• The Council will remind relevant staff of the need to respond appropriately to safeguarding concerns raised and to record their actions and decision making, including where the decision is that no further action is required at that time.

Case Ref: 23 005 107 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Domiciliary care

• The Council will remind the Care Provider who supported a person at home that care workers should keep accurate records of the time spent at care visits and that where they have extra time, they should see if the person would like company or to talk.
• The Council will remind the Care Provider who supported a person at home that care visits should happen as close to the intended time as possible.
• The Council will remind its staff that complaint responses should be clearly identified as such and should set out the person's right to complain to the Ombudsman if they remain dissatisfied.

Case Ref: 23 004 599 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Assessment and care plan

• The Council has also agreed to consider any learning and training needs in respect of coercive control

Case Ref: 23 003 608 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council has agreed to remind staff with responsibility for responding to complaints to refer to the Ombudsman’s Guidance on Remedies to identify a suitable remedy for injustice caused by fault.