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Cllr Izzi Seccombe, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, responded to the Local Government Ombudsman report on the number of adult social care complaints

"This report recognises that the total number of social care complaints is small compared to the millions of people receiving services. Councils will continue to work hard to ensure people have their voice heard and are confident that their council will act on any feedback.

“However, we are concerned that despite care workers’ best efforts, complaints could become more frequent as the combined pressures of insufficient funding, growing demand and extra costs mean that councils will have less money for essential social care services, such as help with washing, dressing, or getting out and about.

“Genuinely new government money is now the only way to protect the services caring for elderly and disabled people, and ensure they can enjoy dignified and healthy lives, live in their own community and stay out of hospital for longer.

“As a minimum in next week’s Budget, the Chancellor needs to set out how it proposes to fill the £2.3 billion annual funding gap that social care will face by 2020.

“While we strive to ensure that everyone gets the best possible care, we must do all we can to address situations on occasions when the quality of care falls short.  Councils will always seek to learn from any mistakes and share best practice, not just for the individual concerned but to continuously improve services.”

Report: Ombudsman highlights the power of complaints to improve social care