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 - 7 of 7 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 (25 002 307)

    Category: Education Date: 03-Dec-2025

    Summary

    Mrs X complained the Council failed to ensure her child received the Speech and Language Therapy provision specified in their Education, Health and Care Plan. We find the Council at fault for failing to check and monitor the provision, for delays in issuing the final amended Education, Health and Care Plan, and for poor complaint handling. These faults caused loss of provision, avoidable distress, uncertainty, and unnecessary time and trouble for Mrs X. The Council has agreed to apologise, make a payment to Mrs X, and take action to improve its services.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to review its procedure for monitoring the delivery of provision in EHC Plans to ensure that as a minimum it:checks the special educational provision is in place when a new or amended EHC Plan is issued or there is a change in educational placement; checks the provision at least annually during the EHC review process; andquickly investigates and acts on complaints or concerns raised that the provision is not in place at any time.

  • Medway Council (24 021 573)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 24-Nov-2025

    Summary

    The Council was at fault for the poor standard of care Mrs X received in Frindsbury Hall, a Council commissioned Care Home. The Care Home failed to carry out some of Mrs X’s care in line with her care plan. This has caused distress, frustration and uncertainty about the care Mrs X was receiving and impacted Mrs X’s dignity. The Council has agreed to apologise and make a symbolic payment to remedy the injustice caused. It has also agreed to provide us with a copy of its follow up visit to the Care Home from November 2025.

    Service improvements

    The Council was at fault for the poor standard of care received by a resident in a Council commissioned Care Home. The Council carried out a formal review of the Care Home to assess current practices and made recommendations to it. The Council will undertake a follow up visit to the Care Home to assess the implementations of the recommendations and measures put in place. It will provide the Ombudsman with a copy of its record of the follow up visit.

  • Medway Council (24 020 147)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 02-Feb-2026

    Summary

    Miss X complained the Council put care in place for her grandmother despite making it clear they did not want it or to pay for it. We did not find the Council at fault for how it initially considered her grandmother’s wish for continued care. We found fault it did not complete a financial assessment before starting the care, causing distress. It was also at fault for delay with Miss X’s complaint causing frustration. The Council has agreed to apologise to Miss X and her grandmother to remedy the injustice. The Council has also agreed to update us on the progress and completion of an online cost estimator on its website to support care planning.

    Service improvements

    The Council will send written reminders to relevant staff of the importance of providing clear information about charging and the financial assessment process to service users, and ensuring they accurately record in detail any discussions and advice given around this.The Council will have an online cost estimator tool for care and support on its website. It should send the LGSCO an update at the three-month point with evidence of what progress it has made on this by that time.

  • Medway Council (24 015 481)

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

    Summary

    Mrs X complains on behalf of her late mother-in-law, Mrs Y, the council failed to take into account her rent and bills when calculating charges for her care home. Mrs X says Mrs Y does not have enough funds to cover the fees being requested by the Council. Mrs X says this has caused the family distress. We have found fault in the actions of the Council for delay in confirming what information it needed to complete the financial assessment. The Council has agreed to issue an apology, discuss the information it needs to complete the assessment and completes service improvements.

    Service improvements

    In writing, remind staff to confirm what evidence is required to allow costs to be considered in financial assessments.

  • Medway Council (24 014 785)

    Category: Education Date: 12-Jun-2025

    Summary

    Ms X complained the Council delayed issuing her child’s first Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan, did not provide a suitable secondary school place, and failed to provide alternative education. There was delay in issuing a final EHC Plan and delayed appeal rights, but no failure to provide education. The Council has agreed to apologise, pay Ms X £1000 to acknowledge the fault, and make service improvements.

    Service improvements

    The Council will provide clarification to officers to ensure they fully understand the law about issuing final EHC Plans and properly consider requests from families to finalise plans, even on an interim basis, to allow for prompt appeal rights.

  • Medway Council (24 011 386)

    Category: Housing Date: 30-Oct-2025

    Summary

    Miss X complained about the Council’s lack of action and response to her reports when her landlord delayed fixing various disrepair issues at her property. We found the Council at fault for letting the case drift and the late point it found a Category 1 hazard. This caused Miss X significant uncertainty and distress. The Council has agreed to apologise, pay a symbolic payment, and take action to prevent future recurrence of fault.

    Service improvements

    The Council should use this complaint as a case study to review its processes and put in place actions to improve how it responds to repeated disrepair reported by complainants and improve how it effectively monitors compliance with repairs it asks of private landlords.

  • Medway Council (24 010 569)

    Category: Housing Date: 29-May-2025

    Summary

    Mr X complained about a lack of support from the Council when he told it his landlord was evicting him. We have found fault by the Council because it did not complete the actions set out in Mr X’s Personalised Housing Plan, did not offer him interim accommodation while it made enquiries into his case and took too long to accept the Relief Duty to him. The Council agreed to apologise and make Mr X a payment in recognition of the injustice caused to him.

    Service improvements

    The Council will share a copy of this decision with housing staff to identify learning from this complaint.

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