Item 8 - Sheffield Health and Social Care

3.3 Service user experienceComplaints and complimentsA full picture of the complaints and complimentsreceived by the Trust over the year is availableon our website in the Annual Complaints andCompliments Report. This includes feedback fromthe complainants (the people who have made thecomplaint) about their experience of the complaintsprocess and if they felt their concerns wereappropriately addressed and taken seriously.All complaints are investigated and if we agree withthe concern being raised we will put in place anaction plan to address the problem. The followingsummarises the numbers of complaints and positivefeedback we have received:We do use complaints as an opportunity to improvehow we deliver and provide our services. Examples ofsome of the changes we have made from reviewingconcerns that people have raised with us are:• Sheffield Aspergers Service to produce a writteninformation pack for service users with ADHD• Improved the information we provide toservice users about how to reduce sideeffects from medication• Development of peer support networks forservice users with personality disorders• Introduced improvements within inpatient wardsto provide a reasonable variety and quantity ofdiet to meet service user needs, eg halal andvegan meals.Intensive Treatment Service – secure carefor people who are acutely mentally illand in need of intensive care and supportOur current ward facility is too small and it does notprovide access for the service users to outside space.This significantly impacts on the experience of carefor the individuals on the ward, as well as the staffdelivering care.Recognising this, we have approved an investmentof £2.8 million to design and build a new Wardon our Longley Centre site. This will result in realimprovements to the design and feel of the Ward,much better facilities and access to dedicatedgardens and outdoor space. The work on thecommissioning of the new ward has startedduring this year, and we look forward to itopening towards the end of 2013/14.We have invested £3.2 million over two years ina new purpose built community facility to provideresidential based care and treatment for peoplewith challenging behaviour as part of the IntensiveSupport Service. The new facility has been built thisyear and will open in May 2013. We see this as atremendous move forward for us, and are excitedabout the significant improvements in care andsupport that we will be able to provide, and the realimprovements in the experience for the individualswe support with the opening of this new facility.General environmentDuring 2012/13 no external reviews of our facilitiestook place. The previous PEAT assessment tookplace in 2010/11. The conclusion of the reviewis summarised as follows:Number of 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 (*)Formal complaints 86 97 143Informal complaints 286 215 260Compliments 1,559 1,401 1,368Data is for Apr – Dec: 3 QuartersSite Location Environment Score Food Score Privacy andDignity ScoreLongley Centre 4 Good 5 Excellent 4 GoodMichael Carlisle Centre 4 Good 5 Excellent 4 GoodForest Close 4 Good 5 Excellent 4 GoodDuring the last year 12 people referred theirconcerns to the Health Services Ombudsmanbecause they were dissatisfied either with the Trust’sresponse or the way we investigated their concerns.The Ombudsman did not feel there was a need toundertake any further investigations into the issueswithin these complaints.Over the last year we have implemented a range ofchanges to how our services are delivered. We havere-organised our community mental health teamsand closed some day centres and bed based servicesas we have provided more care in more appropriatecommunity based settings. All service changes canbring a feeling of uncertainty and disruption tocontinuity of care. We have placed great emphasison reducing the impact on the people who use ourservices while we introduce these changes. We arepleased that our service changes have not been anotable cause or reason for why people have raisedconcerns about their care through complaints orother means of feedback.Improving the experience through betterenvironments – investing in our facilitiesThe environment of the buildings in which wedeliver care has an important part to play and has adirect impact on the experience of our service users.The design, availability of space, access to naturallight, facilities and access to outside areas areall fundamental issues. Getting them right has adirect impact on how people feel about the careand treatment they are receiving. We have madesignificant progress this year in addressing key areaswhere our buildings haven’t been as good as wehave wanted them to be.Firshill Rise – services for people with alearning disability and challenging behaviourOur current facilities, the Assessment and TreatmentUnit, were inappropriate and very limiting. Despitethis the CQC recognised that we were providingexcellent care despite the poor facilities.Forest Lodge 4 Good 5 Excellent 4 GoodGrenoside Grange 5 Excellent 5 Excellent 5 ExcellentThe reviews are helpful in providing the Trust with external feedback about the environment in which weare providing our services. The review team involves people external to the Trust, including service usersand carers to gain their perspective and view about our facilities.121122