Improving complaints handling in local government

Since we selected local government as the first sector in Northern Ireland to work with in developing a Model Complaints Handling Procedure (MCHP), we’ve been speaking to complaints handling representatives in local councils and other organisations to understand how they currently deal with complaints.

We’ve held focus groups at which we have heard directly what they think works well and what suggestions they have to make the process better for the public and staff.

We also asked them to respond to a series of questions, including the numbers of complaints they receive each year, whether they publish complaints data, and how many staff have received training in complaints handling.

We’re extremely grateful to everyone who we’ve worked with so far for their enthusiastic response to this exciting new project.

All the information collected has helped us to understand the guidance and training needs of the local government sector.  Our new draft complaints handling procedures, and a series of guidance documents, were discussed with the sector for the first time at two recent meetings.

Firstly we met with our Strategic Network which is made up of senior local government officials.  The purpose of this network is to create a positive complaints culture within the sector and support the development and implementation of a simplified and standardised complaints system.  This network will agree the new procedures before we publish them in March next year.

We also held our first meeting with the Operational Network, consisting of staff whose job it will be to implement the MCHP when it is finally agreed.  The network members are central to the development and implementation of the MCHP across the local government sector.

We plan to have two more meetings with both networks.

Once we publish the MCHP, organisations within local government will have six months to implement it.  We will continue to give them help and support to embed and implement the MCHP and to provide guidance and training in complaints handling issues.

At the same time, we are also continuing to look at how a MCHP can be rolled out in the health and social care sector.  We have held meetings with a number of bodies in the sector and are working with the Department of Health to ensure that patients and complainants are put at the heart of the process.

We will share more updates on this in the coming weeks.