Plaid AM calls for tightening of social services complaints process

‘It cannot be right that individuals investigating social services complaints have no social services experience’: Plaid

Plaid’s Social Care Spokesperson Dr. Dai Lloyd AM has called on the Labour Welsh Government to make changes to the way in which Complaints against Social Services Departments are dealt with in Wales.

Currently under the Social Services and Well-being Act, if an individual makes a complaint against a Social Services Department, then the local authority must always offer to discuss a complaint with the complainant to try and resolve matters locally. This discussion must take place within 10 working days. This is referred to as a Stage 1 complaint.

If the complainant is not happy with the outcome, then they have the right to ask the local authority for formal investigation of their complaint. At this stage, Stage 2, the complaint will be investigated by an Independent Investigator. This is someone who is not employed by the local authority which are the subject of the complaint, who then produces a report with findings, conclusions and recommendations within 25 days.

However, Dr. Lloyd has been informed that some of the independent investigating officers appointed by local authorities do not have any social care experience.

There is currently no national register of investigators, and they do not have to belong to a recognised professional body.

Dr. Lloyd raised his concerns with the Welsh Government at the National Assembly on Tuesday. A meeting with the Minister for Social Care, Huw Irranca-Davies AM is now being arranged.

Dr. Lloyd stated:

“The way in which complaints are handled by public bodies is vitally important to people's faith in any system.

“I was shocked to hear that even though independent investigating officers perform a statutory public service, they are not subject to any professional regulatory standards. Social workers are, doctors are, nursers are, but these independent investigating officers are not, and I understand that some even have no social care practice experience either.

“This cannot be right. Surely, we would expect investigating officers in the field of social services to have had some experience of social services, either as a frontline member of staff or in a management position.

“I this week asked the Labour Welsh Government to bring forward a statement on the role of independent investigating officers. I believe that the Welsh Government needs to look at establish specific standards for investigators, introducing registration and training requirements, and there needs to be an analysis on what role a professional body could play in developing this area.

“These investigators are an integral element of the social care community in Wales, but they are largely hidden from practice development staff and policy makers. The Labour Welsh Government need to start to change this.”