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1 Annual Report of the Operation of the Complaints Procedure

1.1 Attached to this report is the Annual Report of the Complaints and Customer Care Service, which incorporates the Annual Report of the Operation of the Complaints Procedure.

1.2 It is a requirement of both the Children Act (1989) and the National Health Service and Community Care Act (1990) that the social services department produce an annual report and present to the relevant committee.

1.3 In addition to a statistical analysis of the number of complaints received and whether they were resolved formally or informally the report considers other aspects of the wider service and identifies learning which has occurred, both with regard to the management of complaints and with regard to the provision of services.

1.4 In the year from April 2002 to March 2003 there were 474 referrals received at headquarters, this compares to 496 received for the same period the previous year and is a reduction of 4.4%. Of those received over the year 428 were complaints, or expressions of dissatisfaction with the service received, an increase of 10% from the 390 complaints received at headquarters the previous years There were 8 complaints which could not be resolved informally and for which formal investigations were held. This is a reduction of from the previous year. Therefore 98.8% of complaints were resolved informally. Two review panels were held during the course of the year, one of which related to a complaint which had not been successfully resolved in the previous year. This is an increase from the 1 panel held the previous year.

1.5 In addition to the number of actual complaints received there has been an increase in complaints made by service users themselves (rather than from relatives and carers) and this is across all clients groups. The most significant increase has been complaints from children and young people, increasing from 23 to 33. This increase is welcomed as it indicates that children and young people are being enabled to express appropriately concerns about the service they are receiving.

1.6 The report identifies key learning points for the management of complaints including confirmation that a timely and appropriate response is the most effective way to resolve complaints. It has also been noted that because a complaint is expressed in a manner which is inappropriate and even offensive, that there may be a genuine cause for concern which needs addressing.

1.7 One of the key findings with regard to wider service delivery is the importance of effective communication, particularly in respect of what social services can and can not provide.

2 Recommendations:

2.1 That Committee accepts this report.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - Background Documents

The Following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

NB the list excludes:

1. Published works

2. Documents which disclose exempt of confidential information as defined in the Act.

None