Issue - meetings

Adult Social Care has a statutory responsibility to produce an annual report on complaints received, issues that have been raised and any action that has been taken to improve services. Adult Social Care encourages feedback from a range of sources including complaints, compliments, comments.

This report provides a summary of complaints and compliments, including learning, for BCP Council Adult Social Care from 1^st April 2024 to 31^st March 2025.

The Head of Transformation and Integration presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'B' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Adult Social Care had a statutory responsibility under the Local Authority Social Services and National Health Service Complaints (England) Regulations 2009 to report complaints and other representations about Health and Adult Social Care.  Councils and NHS bodies were required to produce an annual report about complaints received, issues that had been raised and any action that had been taken to improve services.

Adult Social Care produced an annual report on complaints received, issues that had been raised and any action that had been taken to improve services. Adult Social Care encouraged feedback from a range of sources including complaints, compliments and comments.

The report provided a summary of complaints and compliments, including learning, for BCP Council Adult Social Care from 1^st April 2024 to 31^st March 2025.

The Committee considered the report, including:

• In response to a query, the Committee was advised of the reasons why the 20-day target may not be reached and it was highlighted that although the target was best practice, it was not statutory.  The measures being used to improve response times were detailed, including an increase in training for managers regarding the quality of complaint responses.
• A Member highlighted the importance of sharing compliments as part of learning and team development, and it was confirmed that positive feedback was actively shared to support improvement.

·      It was noted that some delays related to the complexity of cases and the need for meetings with complainants to achieve the best outcome, which can take time to arrange.

·      The Committee was assured that communication with complainants continued throughout the process to maintain transparency.

·      In response to a query, it was explained that complaints were managed centrally, with lead responsibility agreed between teams based on the main area of concern and that a joint protocol existed with health partners to coordinate responses for complaints spanning social care and health services.

RESOLVED that the Committee note and scrutinise the information contained in this report.

Voting: Nem. Con.