Salford City Council has been found by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman to have left a woman with autism "without proper support" after it failed to review her care plan for more than five years.
"The woman was assessed for the care and support she needed with domestic tasks and accessing the community in 2013" the report states "In 2018 her support agency withdrew its services because she had not paid the workers' expenses.
"Originally, the Council paid both fees and expenses, but it has since changed its arrangements so that providers now recover expenses directly from its service users" it adds "However, this was never explained to the woman, and so she was not aware there was a problem. The woman complained to the Council, and when she was unhappy with the Council's response she complained to the Ombudsman."
The Ombudsman investigated the case and found Salford Council at fault "for not reviewing the woman's care plan for more than five years"; for "not carrying out any autism awareness training for staff"; and for not adhering "to the most fundamental parts of the Care and Support Statutory Guidance".
The investigation also found that "while the Council's second investigation into the woman's complaint was good, had it reacted properly to her first complaint much of the subsequent problems she experienced could have been avoided..."
Michael King, Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, explained that "Under the Care Act authorities have a duty to review care and support plans at least every 12 months. In this case the woman was not properly reassessed for more than five years. Two doctors' letters were on file, but these cannot constitute a proper annual review or reassessment.
"It is difficult to say just what impact this lack of oversight has had on the woman, but the Council would have had the chance to properly consider her changing needs had it reviewed and updated her care plan in the correct way" he adds "However, the Council's response to my report has been very positive. I'm particularly encouraged by the proactive steps the Council is taking to improve its service above and beyond what I have recommended, and I hope this ensures other people will not have the same difficulties in future."
The Ombudsman questioned "whether more people have been affected by the same problems", given the lack of autism training at the Council.
Now, Salford Council has agreed to reinstate the woman's care and support plan, including payment of her expenses while it arranges to reassess her, and the Ombudsman ruled that "the assessment should be carried out by a social worker with training and experience in the needs of autistic people".
The Council has also agreed to undertake an audit of all adult care recipients in the area to ensure their care and support plans have been reviewed and updated appropriately. It will also arrange training so that NHS staff carrying out the Council's adult social care functions are up-to-date on their responsibilities around carrying out assessments and writing care plans.
The Council will now ensure that all relevant staff will receive autism awareness training, and has agreed to pay the woman £1,000 'for her distress' and a further £200 for 'the time and trouble of bringing the complaint'...
Between 1st April 2018 and 31st March 2019, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman investigated twelve complaints about Salford City Council, of which seven were upheld.
Other upheld complaints include advocacy failings, communications to residents, taking too long to address defects in disabled facilities, failing to explain top up fees to a resident in a care home and its complaint handling processes.
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