Advice on comparing statistics across years

In 2022-23 we changed our investigation processes, contributing towards an increase in the average uphold rate across all complaints. Consider comparing individual council uphold rates against the average rate rather than against previous years.

In 2020-21 we received and decided fewer complaints than normal because we stopped accepting new complaints for three months due to Covid-19.

Wakefield City Council

Annual statistics ?Find out more about annual statistics

  • Complaints upheld

    67% of complaints we investigated were upheld.

    This compares to an average of 80% in similar authorities.

    8 upheld decisions

    Adjusted for Wakefield City Council's population, this is
    2.2 upheld decisions per 100,000 residents
    .

    The average for authorities of this type is
    4.4 upheld decisions per 100,000 residents.

    View upheld decisions

    Statistics are based on a total of 12 investigations for the period between 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024

  • Compliance with Ombudsman recommendations

    86% of cases we were satisfied the Council had successfully implemented our recommendations.

    This compares to an average of 99% in similar authorities.

    Statistics are based on a total of 7 compliance outcomes for the period between 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024

  • Satisfactory remedies provided by the Council

    In 0% of upheld cases we found the Council had provided a satisfactory remedy before the complaint reached the Ombudsman.

    This compares to an average of 14% in similar authorities.

    0 satisfactory remedy decisions

    Statistics are based on a total of 8 upheld decisions for the period between 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024

    View all satisfactory remedy decisions

Annual letters

We write to councils each year to give a summary of the complaint statistics we record about them,
and their performance in responding to our investigations.

View annual letters

Reports ?Find out more about reports

In the last nine years, the Ombudsman has published the following reports against Wakefield City Council

No reports published

Service improvements ?Find out more about service improvements

Since April 2018, the Council has agreed to make the following improvements to its services following an Ombudsman investigation. We list up to 10 cases below – click ‘view all’ if there are more.

Case reference: 23 014 342

Category: Education

Sub Category: Special educational needs

  • The Council will review its policies and procedures relating to: checking the provision in EHC Plans is arranged and responding to reports of problems; annual reviews; and ending EHC Plans to ensure they comply with the legislation, regulations and government guidance.

Case reference: 22 016 894

Category: Housing

Sub Category: Homelessness

  • the Council has agreed to provide details of the action it has taken to ensure suitability assessments of interim and temporary accommodation are properly recorded.

Case reference: 22 015 822

Category: Education

Sub Category: Special educational needs

  • issue guidance to relevant staff reminding them of the need to issuerevised EHC plans within the statutory timescales
  • review its systems for ensuring a child or young person is receiving the SEN provision in their EHC plan and taking action when it finds out provision is missing, whether that is through an annual review, complaint or otherwise. Where the Council finds areas for improvement, it will send the Ombudsman an action plan setting out the steps it will take and by when.

Case reference: 22 015 492

Category: Adult care services

Sub Category: Domiciliary care

  • Issue written reminders to the care provider to ensure they are aware of:Regulation16 - This regulation is to ensure people can make a complaint about their careand treatment. To meet this regulation providers must have an effective and accessible system for identifying, receiving, handling and responding to complaints from people using the service, people acting on their behalf or other stakeholders. All complaints must be investigated thoroughly, and any necessary action taken where failures have been identified.Regulation17 which says care providers should “maintain securely” records and should have “an accurate, complete and contemporaneous record in respect of each service user, including a record of the care and treatment provided to the service user and of decisions taken in relation to the care and treatment provided”. Regulation10 says care providers must treat all service users with dignity and respect.
  • Provide evidence of the action the care provider said it has taken in regard to:The breach of confidentiality which prompted communications to all care teams to include a refresher on its confidentiality policy.The moving and handling tasks that had been reviewed and had prompted further actions including additional observations and assessments from the office.

Case reference: 22 011 884

Category: Education

Sub Category: Alternative provision

  • The Council will review the policy/mechanism it has in place for how schools inform it of the details of pupils who fail to attend school regularly, or have missed ten schools days or more, as outlined in the statutory guidance, to ensure it is receiving suitable information about children out of education from schools.

Case reference: 22 009 577

Category: Children's care services

Sub Category: Other

  • The Council will arrange additional complaints awareness training for relevant staff
  • The Council will remind staff of their statutory duty to fully co-oporate with statutory childrens complants investigations
  • The Council will review its procedures for reaching best interests decisions to ensure it checks whether there is any Lasting Power of Attorney or deputyship in place and considers all other relevant factors before reaching a decision.

Case reference: 22 005 628

Category: Education

Sub Category: Special educational needs

  • The Council agreed to issue a memo to staff handling Education,Health and Care Plans reminding them that annual reviews need to be completed within 12 months of the previous review and this includes issuing the final Education,Health and Care Plan. The memo should also explain that this applies even when an amended Education,Health and Care Plan is issued following an appeal to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal.

Case reference: 21 014 095

Category: Environment and regulation

Sub Category: Refuse and recycling

  • Produce an up-to-date waste collections policy to ensure this is readily available for staff and managers.

Case reference: 21 011 155

Category: Education

Sub Category: COVID-19

  • The Council will remind all relevant officers of the need to consider the duty to provide alternative education for a child who is out of shcool for reasons other than exclusion or illness.

Case reference: 21 009 075

Category: Education

Sub Category: Special educational needs

  • The Council has agreed to review its process for people to request medical needs tuition, and ensure staff are aware not to request this to be done through CAMHS or other services.
  • The Council has agreed to provide training and guidance to staff about the importance of correctly recording personal details in case notes and records. The Council should also review whether further training is required for staff to understand the importance of not misgendering or misnaming people.

10

Service improvements agreed by Wakefield City Council

View all

Last updated: 4 April 2015

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