Adult social services and health statutory complaints annual report

The report provides an overview of the activity and analysis of complaints and representations for the period April 1, 2009 to March 31, 2010.

Between April, 1 2009 and March 31, 2010, the complaints service recorded 56 adult social care complaints, compared with 41 last year. During the same time period adult social services received 59 compliments.

As a direct result of formal complaints and concerns throughout the year there have been a number of service improvements. For example improvements have been made to the Blue Badge scheme following service user feedback as well as the development of training for homecare staff.

Between April 1, 2009 and March 31, 2010, the complaints service recorded 75 health complaints. Again, these complaints have led to improvements in the services provided at GP and dental practices such as changes in the process for delivering vaccinations within a GP practice and changes to policies regarding consent forms.

The report also contains figures in relation to the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS). PALS is a public enquiry service which provides an informal and impartial service that helps service users/patients, carers, relatives or staff who use the services provided or commissioned by the Care Trust Plus.

During 2009/2010 the Care Trust Plus received 1,660 PALS enquiries. As a core service, PALS enables the organisation to learn from service users’/patients’ experiences of using services. Where trends are identified from this feedback PALS, along with service users/patients and staff, will explore solutions and make recommendations for improvements to service delivery (where appropriate).

The report will now be presented to North East Lincolnshire Council’s Cabinet under the partnership agreement between the CTP and the council.

A copy of the full report can be downloaded from the CTP website at www.nelctp.nhs.uk .The full complaints policy and a leaflet explaining how people can make a complaint can also be downloaded from the website.