The Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) has just published her latest annual report, which as usual makes interesting reading, especially for carers – since it is to the LGO that complaints about Adult Social Care may be taken.
Please see http://www.lgo.org.uk/publications/annual-report/
Note that the LGO now provides analyses of complaints e.g. a breakdown of statistics by Local Authority over the last three years.
The Report contains an introduction by the LGO, explaining her priorities, especially Restorative Justice:
“We issued reports on 77 complaints about councils in 2011/12, compared with 29 the previous year. We publish a report on a complaint when it is necessary to bring it to the wider attention of the council and the public. Through this process we make recommendations for remedy and follow up to ensure compliance. We are pleased that compliance rates remain high at 99 per cent which justifies our view that it is not necessary for us to have powers to enforce our recommendations.
Our key focus is restorative justice, and redress was obtained in 2,434 cases, equivalent to 25.3 per cent of all complaints decided (excluding the complaints not in our power to investigate). Increasingly this includes an apology and actions to change policy and practice by the body in jurisdiction. It is only when redress cannot be achieved that we will consider compensatory payments for injustice caused.”
An article highlighting a particular concern of the LGO regarding care provision by private contractor appeared in the Guardian’s Society Section on 1st August 2012:
Social care complaints up 22% as watchdog takes on private contractors. ‘Poor, inconsistent and, on occasion, non-existent care’ found by the Local Government Ombudsman in annual report.
See http://www.guardian.co.uk/social-care-network/2012/jul/31/social-care-complaints-watchdog