Recent correspondence from the Ombudsman for Wales with regard to Cyngor Gwynedd council and the Autism plan - that should have been implemented in 2019.
"Unfortunately, the Ombudsman and the Chief Executive have not yet been able to find a mutually convenient date to have the meeting I referred to in my last update to you at the end of June. This meeting will be taken forward as soon as it can practically be arranged, regardless of what I say below
I am pleased to confirm that further progress has been made by the Council and that the finalised version of the draft plan was agreed by the project board that has met since I last wrote to you. It will be presented to the Council’s Cabinet meeting in October for final approval and implementation."
It has been a busy time for the Ombudsman during the pandemic and with the new CEO still finding his feet the delay is understandable. But has he forgotten arranging a meeting with the present Director of SS to discuss these same issues - two years ago !!?? That meeting arranged weeks in advance was cancelled by the council one hour before due.
But with no fanfare from the council and much teeth pulling, the Ombudsman appears certain that the Autism plan will be finally approved and implemented in October. We shall see...
But what of the other cases where Gwynedd council have not complied with the recommendations of Welsh Government agencies ?
This may prove difficult as the Ombudsman's office has signed off some compliance issues without checking the veracity of the departments evidence or really understanding the issues involved to the obvious benefit of Gwynedd and how many other councils ?
After a recent review the Ombudsman has now changed the process of ensuring compliance with his recommendations are met. The old system of the officer's chasing up on compliance arising from their own investigations did not work well for some reason. Will Care Inspectorate Wales be undertaking a similiar review ?
This will effect all Welsh councils but too late for many people who have brought complaints with the Ombudsman in the past and also those not realising that 'recommendations for improvement' can be downgraded with a 'variance' discussed behind closed doors months after the investigation has finished.
Cyngor Gwynedd Council have published a report that went before the Care Scrutiny Committee on the 30th, Sept, 2021 entitled - The Quality Assurance Service within the Safeguarding Unit.
The purpose of this report is to offer an overview of the work of the Quality Assurance Unit within the Adults, Health and Well-being Department of Gwynedd Council. It is intended to focus on the demand and the impact of the work in the context of providing care services for vulnerable residents in the County.
Towards the end of 2020, several safeguarding reports were receivedclaiming that suitable care was not being provided within five homes in the County. In response to this, face-to-face monitoring was undertaken and three care homes and two nursing homes within the county were placed under the Escalating Concerns procedure.
Owing to the monitoring work, an embargo on new placements was imposed on the five homes, and two now have a conditional embargo in terms of the number of new residents who may be admitted.
If any provision under-performs and that an embargo on admissions or placements is in place, it has a significant impact on the area teams in terms of their ability to place or use that service. It also has a significant effect on the individuals and their families as it is not always possible to place people within their preferred area or receive a specific service in their community in a timely manner.
The report states that one nursing home and two care homes have closed
in Gwynedd over the past two years and concludes with mentioning the
Magaret Flynn Review (2012) and the Winterbourne View Hospital scandal -
twice. Why reference institutional abuse of those with autism and learning difficulties in a care setting from a decade ago ?
The full report can be found here - https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru//documents/s31392/Adroddiad%20Saesneg%20Sicrwydd%20Ansawdd%20-%20Pwyllgor%20Craffu%2030%2009%202021.pdf
The report makes for uncomfortable reading - but these issues have been known for years. It also makes no mention of serious incidents such as - "Care 'failings' before man choked to death on toast" https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-51388454
From the BBC article - "The
report said there was no documentation relating to the awarding of the
care contract to Cartrefi Cymru or any specific terms relating to Mr N's
care needs and the responsibilities of parties involved in his care. It
was also found there was no documentation to demonstrate the council,
as lead commissioner, had monitored the delivery of care to Mr N. "
No documents. No monitoring of publicly funded care delivery. No social worker. No care.
So what is happening within the care homes for those with Dementia ?
"What inspectors found at Gwynedd care home featured in undercover exposé" The Pines in Criccieth was featured on S4C's Byd a Bedwar https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/what-inspectors-found-gwynedd-care-15843830
What of Adults with Autism in care ?
"69.
- In my view, these failings not only caused Mr A a significant
injustice but also impacted upon Article 8 of his Human Rights. However,
I have decided that the finding I have made of maladministration is so
clear and so serious that to consider the human rights issues further
would add little value to my analysis or to the outcome.I have therefore
decided to say no more about that."
The full Ombudsman's report can be found here - http://www.lukeclements.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Ombudsman-Gwynedd-Council-report-201700388.pdf
Recommendations from this report included - 81 (f) Reviews its process on monitoring commissioned services for adults. The council agreed to complete this work by January, 2019...
Will the Children's department be producing such a report ? What happened in the case of the vulnerable 15 year old, living in a caravan during his placement at a care setting in Gwynedd ?
"Schoolboy 'wrapped in cling film and gagged by children's home staff' https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2020-01-29/schoolboy-wrapped-in-cling-film-and-gagged-by-children-s-home-staff-says-hearing
In
2019, the CEO of Cyngor Gwynedd, stated to Councillors that all the Ombudsman for Wales recommendations had been met 'bar a nuance'. This was not correct.
Five
Ombudsman for Wales reports into Gwynedd Social Services departments over four years
- with major recommendations of the Ombudsman ignored. At this very
moment a piece of work is being prepared by the Adults
department to present to the Ombudsman in the hope it will finally
achieve compliance already overdue way before the pandemic. The author,
Manon Trapp, was recently warned by the departing CEO that further
'slippage' will not be tolerated by the Ombudsman - so that will be an
interesting document...if the council ever release it. Sshh...
This past year has seen a marked increase in complaints against the SS
departments. The present Director gives the reason for the increase as the result of a 'new' system of recording any
expessions of dissatisfaction as a complaint. For several years, the departments recorded some complaints as enquiries only which would have affected the data on behaviours, performance and trends.
But, earlier this year, the Director herself downgraded a complaint to an enquiry so this makes no
sense. The complaint concerned the actions of officer's that according
to the senior safeguarding officer went against their very ethos - so maybe it does. Sshh...
Is
Dafydd Gibbard, the new CEO, aware of the issues that the Ombudsman has
uncovered over the last few years ? Of course, he is - the CEO has been
with Gwynedd council since 2003 and would have heard all the stories.
Nick Bennett has made quite plain his 'outrage' at the last incumbent
and may already have been in contact with Mr Gibbard to ensure the new
boss is aware of what is expected of him and the senior officer's. So much going on behind closed
doors...
The SS department recently turned down a request for a copy of the Review of Autism Services, by Hugh Morgan, OBE, commissioned after a recommendation from an earlier Ombudsman's report - that was initially ignored. The complainants informal request was treated as a Freedom Of Information request by the Director and after the regulatory 20 days had passed the request was refused. After an Internal Review the Monitoring Officer overturned the SS decision and the report was finally released - though it is named the Derwen report for some reason. How confusing....Don't mention the A word. Sshh...
Think on that. A Monitoring Officer overturning the wishes of his own council's Director of Social Services. There has also been a recent change to the council's Constitution asked for by the Monitoring Officer that distances himself from the SS departments. What is going on...? There appears to have been no proper scrutiny of council operations since before the pandemic and so much goes on behind the scenes unminuted and undocumented but this is not usual.
There has been a shuffling of positions within the Care Scrutiny committee too - a new Chair has been appointed. Dewi Roberts, who attempted to challenge the SS departments during his tenure has been replaced by the man he replaced, Eryl Jones-Williams - who did not. The Chair is the most important position on any committee and controls what will appear on the agenda - usually discussed and formulated at a pre-meeting with senior officers that is not open to the public and no minutes are taken.
Where is the voice of the Cabinet Members in all this ? Why the silence ? £35,000 per annum plus expenses plus pension...comes with legal duties and responsibilities. Doesn't it?
Care Inspectorate Wales ? We do not investigate individual complaints. Still..?
And what of another Ombudsman's investigation and the findings from 2018 - "69. - In my view, these failings not only caused Mr A a significant
injustice but also impacted upon Article 8 of his Human Rights.
However, I have decided that the finding I have made of
maladministration is so clear and so serious that to consider the human
rights issues further would add little value to my analysis or to the
outcome.I have therefore decided to say no more about that."
The recommendations ordered by the Ombudsman in this case were also not fully complied with. Lessons learnt ?
The previous post highlighted critical reports into Cyngor Gwynedd social services department from 2001 through to 2008 undertaken by Wales Audit Office and the Care Inspectorate Wales.
There were many promises for improvement - The council’s strategic director of social
services, Dafydd P Lewis, said that since the joint review was completed
in 2007, a great deal of time and effort had been invested in
modernising the sector...
and that councillors and staff in key positions have expressed a
determination to achieve the change now required means that we are
confident that we can deliver the necessary changes quickly and efficiently,"
Council leader Dyfed Edwards said: "This
report confirms that the ‘traditional’ Gwynedd way of delivering social
services is no longer an acceptable option and that we must modernise
these services as a matter of urgency."
Strong words from the then Director of Gwynedd SS departments and council leader - so did things get better ?
A 2010/11 Care Inspectorate Wales report highlighted 42
areas in which Gwynedd social services needed to improve. In some areas the department’s results have put it amongst the worst performing councils in Wales.
From a Daily Post article by Dion Jones 00:00, 1 DEC 2011 Updated 00:58, 19 APR 2013
Gwynedd Council social services criticised in report
THE county’s social services department has failed to meet a number
of statutory requirements in the field of child protection, according to
a damning report.
The social services watchdog for Wales said it
does not yet have the “confidence” in Gwynedd Council’s delivery of
some children’s services.
The 2010/11 annual report by the Care
and Social Services Inspectorate Wales has outlined a staggering 42
areas across the board in which social services need to improve –
compared to just 20 areas where the department is praised.
In some areas the department’s results have put it amongst the worst performing councils in Wales.
But
the head of the social services in Gwynedd said it has already adopted
an improvement programme and that progress has been made in the six
months since the inspection period.
Among the most hard hitting statistics in the report were:
Only 63% of service users had a review of their care plan – one of the lowest proportions in Wales
36%
of all initial assessments on children were carried out by social
workers when the child wasn’t even there. This meant that almost 500
children were not seen as part of their initial assessment.
Only 47% of initial assessments were carried out within seven days (the national standard).
A
total of 90 people experienced delays in being discharged from hospital
– significantly higher than other authorities in North Wales.
An
entry in the report reads: “Children’s services have not yet secured
all of the improvements necessary to provide assurance or confidence in
delivery of social care services.
“A number of improvement priorities and statutory requirements have not been met.”
However,
the report also praised some aspects of the department, such as the
“well run” fostering service which was deemed to be providing “good
quality and nurturing care for children and young people”.
Gwen
Carrington, Gwynedd Council’s head of social services said: “The council
is committed to continuing to improve social services so that we can
provide modern and effective support for vulnerable people.
“In
their annual report for the period from April 2010 to March 2011, the
CSSIW note that Gwynedd Council’s social services has an understanding
of its strengths and the fields where improvements needed.
“The council is already implementing an improvement programme.
“For
example, we have already adopted a residential and nursing strategy to
tackle the over-dependency on traditional residential care.
“The
CSSIW notes that the evidence shows the council is making progress in
key areas and they have confirmed that no inspection will be undertaken
in Gwynedd in 2011-2012.
“In addition, there has been substantial progress in the six month period since the period of the report.”
So a critical report from 2001 was ignored with no improvements made and the same in 2008.
Remember the then Director's words from 2008 - 'a great deal of time and effort had been invested in
modernising the sector...and that councillors and staff in key positions have expressed a
determination to achieve the change now required means that we are
confident that we can deliver the necessary changes quickly and
efficiently.'
Obviously not...
But, this time a different Director of SS has been appointed to step forward and promise to
'provide modern and effective support for vulnerable people' that senior officer's had promised in 2001 and again in 2008 and now 2011. Gwen Carringtonstates “The council is already implementing an improvement programme."
The same thing over and over and over....
Below is a link to the Director of SS, Annual Report for the year 2010/2011 - https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/Data/Dwyfor%20Area%20Committee/20120326/Agenda/11_02_Appendix.pdf
The
Director of Social Service departments Annual Report is an important piece of
work and the data is so valued by national governments to plan future services it is protected by
legislation. Whilst the critical CIW and other agency reports and recommendations are
ignored and left on the shelf to gather dust, social service reportsare used to inform, build on success, identify areas for improvement and be aware of any 'trends' and 'patterns' that emerge....
The Director writes - "Since our services were criticised in the Joint Review (external joint-review of social services in 2008 undertaken by the CSSIW and WAO), we have been busy laying foundations and strengthening arrangements. This year, we have evidence of that success and the inspectors have acknowledged our success in 2010."
Whilst the CSSIW (Care Inspectorate Wales) writes - “Children’s services have not yet secured
all of the improvements necessary to provide assurance or confidence in
delivery of social care services."
