Amplify the vulnerable and voiceless, Ombudsman says in adult care review
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGO) Paul Najsarek has urged leaders to scrutinise services provided to people who might otherwise be hidden in society.
He made the call upon the publication of the LGO’s annual review of adult social care, reflecting on the investigations the organisation has conducted over the past 12 months across both public and independently-funded care.
The report highlights key cases from the past year, including an autistic man who was not provided with an advocate when assessing the support he needed. In another case a woman was left at risk of falls and burning herself while cooking because the right support was not provided at the right time.
And in another case, more than 300 people in one north western borough were being provided with care calls lasting less than 15 minutes – hardly enough time to provide the dignified care they were assessed as needing.
The review calls on the sector to listen to concerns and complaints, and use this intelligence to drive positive, cost-effective changes.
The LGO upheld three-quarters of the investigations it carried out in detail. However, complaints received have levelled off in recent years and the Ombudsman is pressing for care providers to up their game by including details about complaining to the LGO in their policies and procedures.
The report also highlights areas of adult care where the Ombudsman cannot investigate, for example in daycare centres. The LGO called for these ‘accountability gaps’ to be closed by extending its jurisdiction to all settings, thereby allowing a route to redress for people if things go wrong wherever their care is provided. The report also renews the LGO’s call for all adult care providers to be required by law to signpost clients to its service.
Najsarek said: ‘I urge senior leaders to give voice to the voiceless: those who cannot complain for themselves because they are unsupported, isolated or simply lack the capacity to do so.
‘Where these vulnerable people are hidden from view, it is all the more important that leaders scrutinise the services they receive to shine a light on how they perform for the people they are meant to support. Putting people’s lived experiences at the heart of services should ensure they remain person-centred, despite the challenging climate.
‘I encourage providers of care – however funded – to focus on the fundamentals: providing good quality, safe services with well-run complaint functions which identify opportunities to improve where challenges arise.’
Image: Martino Pietropoli
War and peace: Adult social care workforce grows but challenges remain
Adult social care strategy states unpaid carers are key to helping the sector