Case Ref: 24 007 979 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• Provide the Ombudsman with an update as to what specific action it is taking to reduce the backlog of assessments waiting for advice from Educational Psychologists.
• Stop routinely applying the exemption where an educational institution is closed for at least four weeks. The Council should only apply this when it is relevant and the delays completing the assessment are due to it being unable to receive advice in time from the educational provider. The Council should provide evidence to the Ombudsman as to what steps it has taken to stop this exemption being routinely applied to all cases with delays.

Case Ref: 24 007 054 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Charging

• The Council has agreed to ensure all social work staff are aware of the correct procedure to follow when a person goes into residential care.

Case Ref: 24 001 522 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Other

• The Council together with the ICB and Trust, will ensure staff are trained on how to apply the current Section 117 aftercare policy when discharging people from Section 117 aftercare, including fully involving people and their carers or advocates in the decision.

Case Ref: 23 019 438 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Charging

• The Council has agreed to:a) review the invoicing errors and delays that have occurred in this complaint and provide a plan about what the Council will do to prevent reoccurrence;
• b) review how this service provider has been monitored and whether the spot checks currently in place for charging are sufficient to prevent future service failure;
• c) review how the Council advises and invoices people for telecare services to ensure the information and charges are clear;
• d) remind staff about the importance of recording changes in care packages and providing updated support plans to service users so that there is a clear written record of provided services;
• e) remind staff about going through services provided when completing a review so that there is a record the person is receiving services both agreed to and paid for.

Case Ref: 23 003 726 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Direct payments

• The Council has agreed to identify the action it is going to take to ensure officers understand the Council’s duties under the Care Act 2014 to:a) meet people’s eligible care needsb) increase personal budgets when a cheaper solution cannot be foundc) only provide direct payments if people request them
• The Council has agreed to take action to ensure officers take account of people's rights under the Human Rights Act 1998 when responding to complaints.

Case Ref: 22 016 416 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Assessment and care plan

• The Council was unable to procure a care provider to meet a man's reablement care needs. The Council will review its care commissioning arrangements and create an action plan of the actions it will take to improve the availability of care providers. It will provide the Ombudsman with a copy of the action plan.

Case Ref: 22 006 163 Category: Other Categories Sub Category: Other

• The Council has agreed to review its handling of this case and consider how it can improve its management of the Energy Efficiency Improvement (EEI) Scheme in the future.

Case Ref: 21 018 631 Category: Planning Sub Category: Enforcement

• Review procedures to ensure that decisions on enforcement matters are properly recorded and communicated

Case Ref: 22 008 257 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Charging

• The Council will ensure it tells relevant officers to provide information leaflets on charging to people receiving adult social care at the earliest opportunity, even where a financial assessment will be delayed.

Case Ref: 22 006 410 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council has agreed, within three months, to review themonitoring of alternative educational provision to ensure it regularly assesses if the provision remains suitable.