Feedback on social services to inform future improvements

Feedback from residents using social services will be used to help make service improvements over the coming year.

The feedback, discussed during a recent Bridgend County Borough Council cabinet meeting, is part of an annual report covering comments, compliments and complaints from residents using a range of services from April 2019 to March 2020.

It covers services such as home care, children’s social care and the reablement service, which supports people following hospital admissions to help them regain their independence.

The report showed that 96 compliments were received during the year with residents praising their carers for being kind and thoughtful, diligent and patient.

One family said: “The team is incredible. The carers are so friendly and amiable. I hear my mother laughing with them and that is a joy!”

While another person who received support said: “Any changes in the support received from the service were discussed with me. I was treated with dignity and respect by the team members. The service cannot be faulted.”

And another person wrote: “I have nothing but praise for the carers who attend to my husband, they treat him with respect, understanding and empathy, at all times they protect his dignity. His communication is very poor, the carers take time to try and understand him. To him he says they are his angels. A big thank you.”

In total, 277 complaints were received during the year with 201 resolved at the earliest stage.

Reasons for complaints included disagreement with assessments and policies, poor communication and level of service.

Where complainants have exhausted the complaints procedure, the complainant has the right to refer their concern for consideration by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales.

Over the year nine complaints were received by the Public Services Ombudsman, which decided not to investigate, but made recommendations instead, which the local authority agreed and implemented.

It is heartening to see all of the wonderful comments that describe the support people have received in their hour of need. Complaints and learning lessons from them is an essential part, and incredibly valuable, in driving our improvements and any service developments.

Nobody wants to receive complaints, particularly when care is being provided at times of crises in people’s lives. However, I’m really pleased to see that early resolution is the outcome in the vast majority of cases and that our teams are working hard to react to complaints.

A healthy system of complaints means that people are able to have their issues resolved quickly and effectively.

The council’s cabinet member for social services and early help Nicole Burnett

The cabinet meeting took place on December 15.