Complaints to the council on the rise

Dec 5 2008 by Les Stewart, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

THE number of formal complaints received regarding Perth and Kinross Council’s Community Care and Criminal Justice Service over the past 12 months is at a four-year high.

A total of 33 complaints were made up to March 2008 – up two on the previous year but more than double the total of 15 received in 2003/2004.

In the vast majority of cases, however, people were happy with the outcome of the investigations, members of the council’s Scrutiny Committee were told this week.

Of the complaints received during the 12 months to March this year, 11 (33%) were made by service users and 22 (67%) came from a representative or relative.

In a report to the meeting, Dave Roberts, executive director (Housing and Community Care), explained: “The main areas that service users complained about were home care and community alarms, with 13 complaints (39%), while eight (24%) people complained about assessment and care management.

“The nature of these complaints included concern about the delay in both assessment and provision of home care and other services; the quality of home care from external home care providers; and decisions about funding care home places.

“Those who receive home care and community alarms account for our largest service area in community care, with 1200 and 2700 service users respectively.”

A smaller numbers of complaints were also received about day care, support services, residential services and criminal justice services.

“The main reasons for the complaint being made were concerns with inadequate service – 19 (49%) and officers’ conduct – 11 (28%).

Following the 33 investigations, 29 complainants (88%) were satisfied with the outcome of the investigation, two (six per cent) were unhappy, one complaint was withdrawn at the final stages and one (three per cent) is still ongoing. The number of informal complaints received over the same period dipped to 21. That compared to 33 last year and 36 in 2003/2004.

Mr Roberts concluded in his report: “The nature of complaints and feedback about services are an opportunity for further learning, improving professional practice and improving standards of customer care.”