Complaints against adults’ services soar

Complaints about councils’ adult social care provision have soared by 73% in the past year, the Local Government Ombudsmen’s annual report shows.

And the number is set to rise further in the year ahead.

The ombudsmen received 1,820 complaints and enquiries in 2010-11 compared with 1,052 in 2009-10.

Dr Jane Martin, ombudsman and acting chair of the Commission for Local Administration, expects the upward trend to continue in 2011-12.

“This is linked to potential growth in demand for our service as a result of public spending reductions and an increase in complaints about privately funded or arranged adult social care,” she said.

The ombudsmen also investigated 57% more complaints than last year about the quality of care.

However, few cases (0.4%) resulted in findings of maladministration causing injustice, although 30% were settled before the ombudsman’s investigation was complete.

Children’s services and education remain an area with the highest number of complaints. They rose last year by a third to 4,155.

Complaints across all areas covered by the ombudsman rose 21%.

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