Council under fire again over axing of brain injury service
ROCHDALE council has been rapped for a second time for failing to hold a ‘satisfactory’ consultation before axing a service for brain injury victims.
An ombudsman’s investigation also found the authority had not ‘adequately’ considered the impact its decision would have on users of the Middleton-based Moving On service.
Bosses have been ordered to apologise to them in an ‘accessible format’ and make sure communications and consultations are up to scratch in future.
It comes after a report by Healthwatch Rochdale slammed the council’s handling of the consultation saying it had left people feeling ‘worthless’.
The service, which ran from the Alkrington Centre, provided support for nearly 120 people across Rochdale borough – the vast majority of whom went at least once a week.
Many had suffered a stroke or brain haemorrhage, while others were living with debilitating longterm health conditions.
Under new arrangements, a similar service will be operated by a charity with access to the centre three days a week. But there will be no adult care staff provided by the council and it will rely entirely on volunteers.
Last year bosses opted to end the service claiming there was no evidence it helped people improve their independence, and duplicated help available elsewhere.
This was despite service user Nancy Pearson telling council chiefs only a few Moving On attendees had received a letter about the consultation – most had not. The local authority also held an ‘online engagement event’, but Nancy – referred to as Mrs X in the ombudsman’s report – said that only a few people had the ‘confidence or knowledge’ to take part.
The 51-year-old, from Heywood, complained to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGO) over the council’s handling of the consultation and the way it responded when she raised concerns. Both, she said, had caused her ‘much stress and anxiety’.
Following an investigation, the LGO agreed that there had been serious shortcomings on the council’s behalf.
Its report reads: “The council was at fault for not enabling more people to engage with its consultation. It did not consider, or provide, more accessible alternatives.”
The report notes that it was likely the council knew about problems with the post when it sent letters out tor equality duty’.
The council’s ‘flawed’ equality assessment is also criticised for finding no evidence the service improved people’s independence. More than 50pc of the people contacted said they had ‘achieved an improvement in their independence and regained skills’.
And claims that the service led to ‘inequality between the localities of the borough’ was also shot down.
“A service in one area of the borough is likely to be attended by people nearest that service. It is unlikely to operation and had to give up her nursing career – has also been paid £150 for the ‘time and trouble caused in bringing her complaint’.
The council has issued an apology but Nancy, who has since met with adult services chiefs, remains unimpressed.
The mum-of-three said: “I think it’s poor, really. I think they could have gone into detail and could have done a better job of it considering they know how they treated us, and the ombudsman has told them how they treated us.
“It sounded like I didn’t
“They treated me appallingly and everyone else - and also they have not taken us seriously. It’s kind of like we no longer exist” in June – and this became ‘evident’ when Nancy complained following the launch of the consultation.
The council ‘should have taken action to ensure more people were aware of the consultation and able to contribute’, the ombudsman found.
“As the Moving On service was a group for people with disabilities, it was likely there would be various communication needs,” the report says.
“However, there was no evidence the council considered this before starting the consultation.”
The ombudsman adds that, while Rochdale council ‘could not avoid the disruption caused by Covid-19’ this ‘did not excuse it from its public secbe attended by a similar number of people from across the entire borough, whatever the service, due to the distance,” the ombudsman found. And the council’s assertion that other services could fill the gap left by the Moving On service was seriously questioned.
“The records did not reflect on how the other services achieved against the required outcomes, so it is unclear how it concluded this,” notes the report.
In order to remedy the ‘injustice’ to Nancy and other service users the council was told to invite her and fellow attendees to take part in the current ‘strategic review consultation.
Nancy – who lost the sight in her right eye after an understand what had gone on, it’s been turned around. I think it’ s not a good explanation and it was really poor and I told them that at the time.
“I think they should have put it in simple terms – ‘we are really sorry for all the distress it has caused for you and all the attendees at Moving On’, but it’s like they have been made to say it.”
Nancy says the meeting to discuss the ombudsman’s report and its recommendations was held about four weeks ago, but nothing has been received since.
“It doesn’t take that long to draft a little, tiny apology,” she added.
And she says that Moving On service users are still to be invited to contribute to the current ‘strategic review consultation’ as per the ombudsman’s recommendation.
“They treated me appallingly and everyone else – and also they have not taken us seriously. It’s kind of like we no longer exist – the service no longer exists so we no longer exist.”
Claire Richardson, the council’s director of adult social care, has responded to the report and Nancy’s comments.
She said: “We have accepted the findings of the Ombudsman in full and apologise for any uncertainty our consultation around service changes may have caused.
“Through a robust action plan, and regular engagement with residents and community groups, the Ombudsman’s recommendations, including around future consultations, will be implemented in full.
“Our proposals are about delivering an improved and enhanced range of high quality health and wellbeing services for individual residents.
“We can provide further reassurance that, working in partnership, community groups and individuals will have the opportunity to help shape future service provision through ongoing consultation and engagement sessions. The individual needs of our residents is always a priority.”
The full report by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman can be found here: https:// www.lgo.org.uk/decisions/ adult- care- ser vices/ other/20-010-883