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Case ref:201803981
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Date:May 2021
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Body:Scottish Government D-G Learning & Justice
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Sector:Scottish Government and Devolved Administration
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Outcome:Upheld, no recommendations
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Subject:Complaints handling
Summary
C complained that the Scottish Government failed to deal with their complaint over an extended period. C said they repeatedly had to chase the Scottish Government for a response.
When C first approached this office, they had not completed the Scottish Government's complaints procedure. Although we received assurances from the Scottish Government that the case was being progressed, C repeatedly informed us that they were not receiving updates, or responses to their correspondence. We chose to exercise our discretion and proceed to an investigation, even though C had not completed the Scottish Government's complaints procedure.
We found that the Scottish Government had failed to handle C's complaint in line with their published complaints procedure. They had not complied with the time scales set out in their complaints handling procedure, records had not been kept appropriately and C had not been kept informed of developments, nor had the Scottish Government responded to correspondence.
We upheld C's complaint, but because of a similar case, concluded just before theirs, further recommendations were not made to the Scottish Government who have since taken significant steps to improve their complaint handling.