Agenda item

Report of the Cabinet Member for Health, Care and Wellbeing

The Committee considered a report of the Cabinet Member for Health Care and Wellbeing informing them of the Customer Feedback and Complaints Service – Adults Social Services Annual Report 2019/20 (schedule 1 to the signed minutes).

The Annual report had been prepared in order to comply with the Authority’s statutory duty to publish details of complaints made under the NHS and Community Care Act 1990 and Local Authority Act 1970. Complaints against the County Council and Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (MPFT) (who, delivered Adult Social Care and Older People’s front line services on behalf of the Authority) during 2019/20 required:- (i) 187 Stage 1 – Local Investigations and; (ii) 35 Stage 2 - Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman investigations. In addition, there had been a further 114 complaints which had been handled and resolved informally. However, there had been no complaints requiring independent investigation.

Members noted that there had been a steady increase in the number of complaints received over the previous two year from 2018/19. The majority of complaints during 2019/20 were in respect of “Poor Communication” and “Care Management” by staff (32%) and the service area to have received most complaints was the Fairer Charging Service (38%). 

During the discussion which ensued Members gave careful scrutiny to the Annual report, asked questions and held the Cabinet Member to account. In response to a point by a Member regarding the use of ‘plain’ English, the Cabinet Member informed them of a Task and Finish Group which had been established by the Authority with a view to improving the clarity of communication with service users. However, he acknowledged the challenges associated with an increased use of on-line/digital technology and referred the measures they were implementing to provide greater assistance in this area.

The Chairman expressed concern that 50% of complaints received by the Care Commissioning Service were in respect of services provided by a Care Provider. In response, the Cabinet Member highlighted that only 28 complaints had been escalated to the County Council for investigation during the year which represented 15% of the total. However, the Authority were currently working with MPFT to understand more about the issues raised and context surrounding those which had been escalated.

In response to a request from a Member, the Cabinet Member undertook to supply them with details of the complaints received during 2019/20 from service users in Staffordshire Moorlands District.             

In conclusion, Members said that they were satisfied the Authority had taken appropriate steps to resolve individual complaints and improve service delivery, where necessary since 2019/20. Also, they were encouraged that the total number of complaints had been relatively small having regard to the extent of Adult Social Services provision although they recognised the likely impact of the current Covid-19 pandemic on the statistics for 2020/21 when they became available.

The Chairman then thanked the Cabinet Member for his attendance and opportunity to give constructive scrutiny to the above-mentioned matters for the benefit of residents of the County.

RESOLVED – That the report be received and noted.