Council apologises after care coordinator not allocated to person with learning disability

An apology was issued to a person with a learning disability after they did not receive a care coordinator which they were entitled to.

The local government and social care ombudsman found fault with the Integrated Care Board (ICB), Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Foundation Trust (CPFT) and Peterborough City Council’s adult social care for not allocating the care coordinator to a person referred to as Mr Y.

When someone has a mental disorder, local authorities and ICB’s have a duty to provide or arrange free aftercare services for people who have previously been detained under section three of the Mental Health Act.

“avoidable uncertainty”

A report to be put before a council committee on July 8 states that it is “essential” a suitable care coordinator is identified to help an individual to navigate complicated care systems and provide continuity.

It adds: “There are people with a learning disability and people who are autistic who access mental health services, and they would be entitled to the same offer of support as everyone else accessing those services, however, Mr Y was not provided with the same offer.”

The ICB, CPFT and city council wrote to Mr Y to apologise for the distress caused through “avoidable uncertainty” and acknowledged the failings.

The ombudsman found that the local policy was written more restrictively than national guidance.

For example, it stated that a care coordinator needed to be a ‘health care provider’, while national guidance left it open for social workers to take on the role too.

The ombudsman also found there was a discrepancy in the agreement with the scope of delegated functions between the ICB and CPFT.

“The scope includes people suffering with mental illness as well as challenging behaviour which then creates a gap as there are no dedicated care coordinator roles for specialist learning disability health services,” the report stated.

A review of the local policies and procedures would seek to “remove gaps in the services provided” and ensure an “equitable offer” to people with a learning disability and/or autism.

Peterborough City Council’s prevention, independence and resilience scrutiny committee is recommended to consider that the CPFT, the ICB and council agree an interim solution before local policy and commissioning issues are resolved, whereby Mr Y’s allocated social worker acts as the care coordinator.

Mr Y was advised of the interim arrangements in April.

The committee will also consider that a comprehensive review of the current policies and procedures takes place to align with national guidance.

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