Source · Select Committees · Work and Pensions Committee
Recommendation 38
38
Acknowledged
DWP's system for learning from serious harm cases remains opaque
Conclusion
If all other layers of safeguarding fail, and claimants experience harm as a consequence, it is essential that DWP learns from these cases. Furthermore, it is right that learning mechanisms are transparent, so that claimants and their families can understand what the Department is doing to prevent 101 these same failures from recurring. We welcome the Department’s plans to publish anonymised Internal Process Review (IPR) data, and the detailed information it provided to us about Internal Process Reviews and the Serious Case Panel. Whilst this has aided our own understanding of the processes DWP uses to learn from cases of serious harm and death, we remain concerned that the system remains opaque, diminishing the Department’s accountability. (Conclusion, Paragraph 160)
Government Response Summary
DWP is committed to continuous learning to improve public services and recognizes its responsibility to learn when experiences for customers have fallen below expectations and to make changes that drive improvement. DWP plans to publish findings from Internal Process Reviews to support transparency and improve understanding of the system among customers and stakeholders.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
While the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) plays an important role in investigating complaints and promoting accountability, it does not have responsibilities under the Act to improve transparency around the internal processes DWP uses to learn from serious cases. DWP sees this as its own responsibility and is committed to fulfilling it. The Government is committed to continuous learning to improve public services. As part of this, DWP recognises its responsibility to learn when experiences for our customers have fallen below expectations and to make changes that drive improvement. As previously stated, DWP plans to publish findings from Internal Process Reviews to support transparency and improve understanding of the system among customers and stakeholders. The Department also welcomes the participation of the Independent Case Examiner at the Serious Case Panel and continues to review and strengthen its processes to embed organisational learning and support those with additional needs who rely on its services.