Service improvements

Medway 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 - 5 of 5 cases with service improvements

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

  • Medway Council (25 024 928)

    Category: Transport and highways Date: 05-Aug-2026

    Summary

    We have upheld Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s mishandling of his application for a brown tourism sign. The Council has agreed to apologise and pay a remedy. It has also agreed to publish the policy within six months.

    Service improvements

    Publish policy within 6 months

  • Medway Council (25 016 173)

    Category: Education Date: 28-Jul-2026

    Summary

    Miss X complains the Council delayed in issuing her child, Y’s, Education, Health and Care Plan. Miss X also says the Council gave incorrect information about whether consultations had been sent out or responses received. Miss X says this caused her distress and for Y’s education to be affected. We have found fault in the Councils actions for failing to issue Y’s Education, Health and Care Plan within statutory timescales. The Council has agreed to write to Ms X to apologise, pay her a symbolic payment and complete a service improvement.

    Service improvements

    Advise the Ombudsman what action the Council plans to take to reduce the delays in issuing EHC Plans.

  • Medway Council (25 005 724)

    Category: Education Date: 20-Apr-2026

    Summary

    Mrs X experienced delayed appeal rights, distress and uncertainty when the Council delayed consulting schools following an annual review, delayed considering putting in place alternative provision and failed to respond to part of a complaint. Mrs X’s son missed out on some education as a result. The Council will apologise, make a payment to Mrs X and provide guidance to officers.

    Service improvements

    The Council will provide guidance to officers in the SEN department around the need to comply with the timescales in the code of practice following annual reviews.The Council will provide guidance to complaint officers about the need to separate appeal issues raised in a complaint from those which are not subject to an appeal. That is so officers know they need to respond to a complaint which raises issues which are separable from an appeal.

  • Medway Council (25 005 157)

    Category: Education Date: 20-Apr-2026

    Summary

    Mrs X complained the Council delayed her son’s EHC Plan, failed to provide education while he was out of school, and communicated poorly. There is fault in the Council’s actions. This caused significant injustice to Y due to the loss of education and to Mrs X in the form of distress, frustration, and time and trouble. The Council agreed recommended actions to remedy the injustice caused.

    Service improvements

    • Produce an action plan to ensure compliance with its duties under section 19 of the Education Act 1996. The plan should set out how officers will consider whether a child is receiving suitable education regardless of school roll and take timely action to arrange interim or alternative provision where required, with clear timescales, responsible officers and monitoring arrangements.

  • Medway Council (25 004 902)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 14-May-2026

    Summary

    Mx Y complains about the Council’s response to a safeguarding referral it received about abuse by a care worker. We find the Council ended its safeguarding involvement prematurely. Although the Council later resumed its investigation, the earlier decision to close the enquiry caused avoidable distress. Mx Y also complains the care provider failed to deliver the agreed level of care to meet their assessed needs. We find fault because the provider did not consistently deliver the care hours the Council assessed as necessary. The Council will complete the remedial actions listed at the end of this statement.

    Service improvements

    Provide evidence to show it has reviewed its monitoring arrangements for commissioned care packages to ensure that under delivery, especially when persistent or prolonged, is identified and escalated promptly. This should include trigger points for a review where care is consistently delivered below what the person is assessed as needing to meet their eligible care and support needs.

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