Complaint Handling in the Public Sector Digital Conference

Friday 30th April 2021

Digital Event, Broadcast Live

Key Points
  • Exploring common public sector complaints, trends in case work, and the introduction of a Complaint Standards Framework
  • Building a vibrant complaint culture to leverage complaints, empower staff, and transform services
  • Managing vexatious, repeat, and vulnerable complainants to deliver effective resolutions
  • Leveraging digitalisation to cultivate a proactive and personalised complaint handling process
  • Streamlining handling processes to effectively manage complaints requiring multi-agency coordination
  • Click Here to Secure your Place
Overview
Confirmed Speakers:

  • Michael King, Ombudsman, Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman
  • Rob Behrens CBE, Ombudsman, Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
  • Imelda Redmond CBE, National Director, Healthwatch England
  • Dr Chris Gill, Senior Lecturer in Public Law, University of Glasgow
  • Helen Vernon, Chief Executive Officer, NHS Resolution
  • Stuart Purcell, Chair & Corporate Complaints Manager, National Complaint Managers Group & Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council
  • Anitha Pillai, Corporate Complaints and Insight Manager, London Borough of Redbridge
  • Ian Weedall, Community Engagement Advocate, Advocacy Focus

    The coronavirus pandemic has heavily impacted all aspects of public service, significantly amplifying pressures on an already fragile complaints systems.* Despite these challenges, learning from complaints continues to be an effective way to rectify systemic issues, build trust with service users, and improve service quality.

    Westminster Insight’s timely Complaint Handling in the Public Sector Digital Conference will feature contributions from key public sector organisations on how to utilise complaints to transform services for the better.

    This event will feature Michael King (Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman) and Rob Behrens CBE (Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman) who will explore common complaints fielded to public sector organisations, national trends in case work, research into complaint handling best practice, and the consultation to introduce a Complaint Standards Framework for public sector organisations.

    Join us as we share best practice throughout all stages of complaint handling. Our expert speakers will also explore how collaboration with advocacy organisations can support the management of vexatious, repeat, vulnerable complainants.

    You will learn how to build a vibrant ‘learning from complaints culture’ across the organisation which holds leaders accountable for enforcing learnings and empowers staff to be open, competent, and proactive with service user feedback.

    This event will also examine how to utilise technology and digital channels to adopt a proactive and personalised brand of complaint handling increases early resolutions, and decreasing the likelihood of escalation. Our expert speakers will also share best practice in managing complaints which requires multiagency coordination.

    *Ombudsman and Chair, Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, July 2020
Agenda
Start

09:00 - 09:10
Chair's Opening Remarks

 
Speakers

Dr Chris Gill Senior Lecturer in Public Law, University of Glasgow

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09:10 - 09:55
Keynote Address: LGSCO - Complaint Handling in Local Government and Social Care

 
  • Reviewing the impact of COVID19 on complaint volumes and types of complaints received within the local government and social care sectors
  • Sharing common complaints raised in case work to highlight learnings for local government and social care
  • Exploring the trends in investigations upheld by the LGSCO and the limits to which organisations can challenge decisions made by the LGSCO
09:40 – 09:55 Questions and Discussions
Speakers

Michael King Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, LGSCO

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09:55 - 10:40
Keynote Address: PHSO – Complaint Handling in Central Government and Health Services

 
  • Reviewing the impact of COVID19 on complaint volumes and types of complaints received within the NHS and UK government departments
  • Exploring the implementation of the Complaint Standards Framework, the framework’s four principles (promoting a learning and improvement culture, positively seeking feedback, being fair and thorough, giving fair and accountable decisions) and next steps for the sector
  • Sharing common complaints raised in case work to highlight learnings for central government and health services
10:25 -10:40 Questions and Discussions
Speakers

Rob Behrens CBE Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

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10:40 - 11:20
Panel Discussion: Building a “Learning from Complaints Culture” Across the Organisation

 
  • Adopting complaint governance structures to ensure senior leaders are held accountable for enforcing learnings results in service improvements
  • Establishing clear expectations to embed a complaint culture which empowers staff to value complaints, learn from feedback, and improve services
  • Delivering regular support and complaint handling training to equip staff with the skills to manage, proactively identify, and utilise feedback effectively
  • Empowering staff to be open, honest and comfortable acknowledging organisational and individual failings
Speakers

Helen Vernon Chief Executive Officer, NHS Resolution

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Stuart Purcell Chair & Corporate Complaints Manager, National Complaint Managers Group & Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council

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11:20 - 11:35
Break

 

11:35 - 12:20
Panel Discussion: Managing Vexatious, Repeat, and Vulnerable Complainants to Deliver Effective Resolutions

 
  • Exploring the challenges and solutions in resolving complaints made by complainants with mental health issues and other health complications
  • Creating a policy on managing unreasonable complainant behaviour to provide clear and standardised guidance for complaint handlers
  • Responding to complaints at the earliest opportunity to establish timescales, mitigate delays and give confidence to service users that their complaints are taken seriously
  • Communicating effectively and regularly with service users to mitigate distress caused by delays, promote transparency and decrease the likelihood of escalation
  • Collaborating with advocates to effectively support vulnerable complainants through the complaint and resolution process
Speakers

Anitha Pillai Corporate Complaints Manager, London Borough of Redbridge

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Ian Weedall Community Engagement Advocate, Advocacy Focus

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Imelda Redmond CBE National Director, Healthwatch England

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12:20 - 12:50
Developing a Proactive and Personalised Complaint Handling Process

 
  • Creating safe and ‘easy-to-use’ digital channels through which services users can complain to enable proactive and personalised approached to complaint handling
  • Utilising digital channels to proactively acquire user feedback and increase chances of early resolution
  • Advertising clear guidance for services users on the complaints process and how complaints inform service design and delivery
  • Tailoring the handling of complaints to ensure the process is responsive to the needs of each complainant
12:40 – 12:50 Questions and Discussions

12:50 - 13:20
Managing Complaints Involving Multi-Agency Co-ordination

 
  • Exploring the business case for approaching joint complaints effectively in a co-ordinated format
  • Establishing a lead organisation and creating clear trails of ownership to streamline the complaint handling process
  • Collaborating on single responses to ensure communications to complainants are clear and consistent
13:10 – 13:20 Questions and Discussions

13:20 - 13:30
Chair’s Closing Remarks

 
Speakers

Dr Chris Gill Senior Lecturer in Public Law, University of Glasgow

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End
Speakers

Rob Behrens CBE Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

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Dr Chris Gill Senior Lecturer in Public Law, University of Glasgow

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Michael King Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, LGSCO

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Anitha Pillai Corporate Complaints Manager, London Borough of Redbridge

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Stuart Purcell Chair & Corporate Complaints Manager, National Complaint Managers Group & Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council

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Imelda Redmond CBE National Director, Healthwatch England

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Helen Vernon Chief Executive Officer, NHS Resolution

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Ian Weedall Community Engagement Advocate, Advocacy Focus

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Venue details

Digital Event Broadcast Live

Speakers
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