Service improvements

Suffolk County Council

Showing service improvements between 1 April 2018 and 31 March 2027

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 11 - 20 of 27 cases with service improvements

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

  • Suffolk County Council (23 016 653)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 28-Aug-2024

    Summary

    Mr D complained the Council delayed completing a financial assessment for his mother. He also complained the Council delayed reviewing his stepfather’s care and support needs. We find the Council was at fault for its delays in completing the financial assessment and its delays in reviewing Mr D’s stepfather’s care and support needs. The Council has agreed to our recommendations to address the injustice caused by fault.

    Service improvements

    The Council will issue written reminders to relevant officers to ensure they act without undue delay when a service user or their relative asks for a review of a care and support plan.

  • Suffolk County Council (23 014 802)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 20-Aug-2024

    Summary

    We found fault with the Council in the way the Council communicated with the complainant (Mr X) about the charges for his care services. We also found fault with the Council for its failure to take account of its duties under the Equality Act 2010. The Council’s fault caused distress to Mr X, which lasted for many months. The Council has agreed to apologise, review adjustments needed by Mr X in his communication with the Council and make a symbolic payment to recognise Mr X’s distress. The Council has also agreed some service improvements.

    Service improvements

    The Council will remind the Adult Social Care staff of its duty to follow the adjustments agreed for the service users. The staff will review our documents: “Principles of Good Administrative Practice” and “Equal Access: Getting it right for people with disabilities”.

  • Suffolk County Council (23 005 445)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 18-Jul-2024

    Summary

    We investigated a complaint about the care and support provided to Mr O’s late brother Mr K by a Council and NHS Trust. We found fault by both organisations. The Council took too long to allocate Mr K a social worker and too long to respond to Mr O’s complaints. The Trust took too long to act on concerns about Mr K’s fitness to drive or to arrange an assessment of his mental capacity. The communication between the Council and Trust was also poor at times. These failings caused Mr O and Mr K avoidable distress and frustration. The organisations have agreed to apologise, pay a financial remedy, and take actions to improve their services.

    Service improvements

    The Council will consider the lessons learned from this case, and will confirm the action it has taken to improve services in relation to: • the timescale for allocating cases to social workers • responding to complaints and keeping complainants informed • communicating effectively with linked NHS services and working together in a co-ordinated and patient-centred way

  • Suffolk County Council (23 004 587)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 20-Feb-2024

    Summary

    Ms C complains the Council failed to properly assess her needs, provide services, and support her to move into independent living. The Council is at fault for failing to reassess Ms C when there was a change in circumstances, raise her expectations about services it would provide, and support her through a transition period. To remedy the complaint the Council has agreed to apologise to Ms C and make her a symbolic payment. It will also remind staff about the need to review needs when there is a change in circumstances.

    Service improvements

    Remind staff about the importance of reviewing STAP goals when there is a change in circumstances and the need for a properly completed Care Act assessment when the service ends;Use this complaint to remind staff about the importance of professional boundaries and providing clarity about roles and responsibilities;Through commissioning with the Care Provider ensure that it has policies in place and staff are aware about professional boundaries.

  • Suffolk County Council (23 000 005)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 25-Oct-2023

    Summary

    Mr X complained on behalf of his adult son, Mr Y. Mr X complained the Council withdrew Mr Y’s direct payments without formal notice. The Council was at fault for stopping Mr Y’s direct payments without the correct notice period and for not reviewing Mr Y’s care and support needs or updating his care plan when it stopped the direct payment. The Council will apologise, pay Mr X for his distress and uncertainty, review Mr Y’s care and support plan and reinstate and backdate Mr Y’s direct payments in the meantime.

    Service improvements

    The Council will remind relevant staff to ensure care and support plan reviews are carried out annually.

  • Suffolk County Council (22 015 693)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 02-Jul-2023

    Summary

    There were delays and errors in the way the Council handled the accrual of debt for Mrs A’s late mother Mrs X. The Council has apologised to Mrs A and taken some steps to improve services but should go further to recognise the distress she was caused.

    Service improvements

    The Council will review its response to the difficulties of issuing invoices without a cover letter and consider alternative solutions.

  • Suffolk County Council (22 010 615)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 06-Jun-2023

    Summary

    Mr X complained the Council failed to notify him that he would be responsible for the full cost of residential care after 30 September 2021 meaning he incurred considerable costs. There is no evidence of fault by the Council other than its failure to keep full and clear records to show exactly what information it provided.

    Service improvements

    Review its guidance on record keeping for social care staff and ensure it is fit for purpose and that staff are aware of what is required.Complete the review into information sharing between the finance team and care providers.

  • Suffolk County Council (22 006 055)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 04-Sep-2023

    Summary

    Mrs D complained that the Council failed to provide suitable carers to meet her needs, failed to communicate with her properly about the difficulties in sourcing carers, and made inappropriate suggestions for alternative care. It also failed to deal with Mrs D’s complaint about the issue in accordance with its complaints procedure, causing a long delay and increasing Mrs D’s distress. We have found fault with the actions of the Council causing injustice to Mrs D. The Council has agreed to pay Mrs D £500 and improve its complaint handling for the future.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to remind all staff dealing with complaints to respond to dissatisfaction with complaint responses in accordance with its published procedure and to keep complainants informed of progress on a regular basis.The Council has agreed to remind all complaint staff to ensure our requests to consider premature complaints through all stages of the complaints procedure are actioned promptly.

  • Suffolk County Council (21 018 649)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 23-Dec-2022

    Summary

    Mr R said the Council was at fault for failures in its care for his stepson Mr C. He also complained about poor communication. The Council was at fault for failures in its care for Mr C and its communication with Mr and Mrs R. These failures caused injustice to Mr C who became unwell after a failure to give him prescribed medication and to Mr and Mrs R who were excluded from discussions about Mr C’s care. The Council has agreed to pay Mr and Mrs R a sum in recognition of their distress and to investigate the standard of care at a care facility where Mr C lived.

    Service improvements

    We found fault with the Council for poor communication. The Council has agreed that it will write to us setting out its proposals for improving communication with the family's of those using adult social care.We found the Council at fault for the services provided by a residential home for people with learning disabilities. The Council has agreed that it will carry out an audit of the care provided at that home and ensure that systems and care are improved. It will report back to the Ombudsman with its findings.

  • Suffolk County Council (21 018 517)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 27-Sep-2022

    Summary

    The Council’s delay of over 20 months sending a referral for adaptations to Mr and Mrs X’s bathroom was fault. This delayed Mr X getting the adaptations he needs to safely access the facilities in his home which is a significant injustice. The Council should apologise, pay £3,000, consider whether Mr X needs interim help and act to improve its services.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to remind relevant staff to consider and record what, if any, interim support or equipment is necessary to meet care and support needs while waiting for home adaptations.

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