The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman , who investigates complaints about councils or adult care providers in England, has published its annual review of adult social care complaints for 2021-22. The LGSCO stated that in many of the complaints it dealt with, cost was raised by councils as a justification for failing to provide or limiting care despite their clear duties under the Care Act 2014.
The Ombudsman is concerned that “ more than a decade of rising demand and unmet need have left people who use services, and their carers, disillusioned, feeling there is no point in making a complaint. I want people to know that their voice matters. What can at first appear a simple error affecting a single individual can trigger a change in practice affecting many others.
I urge councils and care providers to use the data we publish today and this report to assess the health of their complaints system and ensure they are harnessing its potential – a source of free intelligence that can lead to responsive, engaged and improved services.
A sustainable care system is long overdue; I hope we can continue to shape a new system with the needs of the people who use it at its centre; how well we listen to their concerns will be an important measure of our success.”
You can download the review by clicking on the document in this link
