Translate the text from English to Welsh.



 
I want to update Members on work being taken forward to modernise and streamline the social services complaints procedure.


I want to bring the social services complaints process in to line with the All Wales Model Complaints Procedures, developed by the Complaints Wales Group, which has been adopted across public services and particularly in to line with the NHS complaints process.  


This is a key priority across public services and was an issue raised by the Health and Social Care Committee during its Stage 1 scrutiny of the Social Services and Well\-Being (Wales) Bill.  


In its report the Committee raised  particular concerns that the process for handling complaints when multiple agencies are involved should be simplified. I indicated in my response to the report that I would make a statement about these matters.    

Last year I undertook an extensive consultation, *Making Things Better* on the current arrangements for complaints in social services. That consultation involved a wide range of stakeholders. A key issue that the consultation considered was how the social services process could be brought closer into line with the All Wales Model Concerns and Complaints Policy developed by the Complaints Wales Group and particularly with the process in place for the NHS *Putting Things Right*. I was particularly concerned to improve the clarity and transparency of the current process and to make it more straightforward for public service organisations to co\-ordinate their work for the benefit of citizens.


The consultation clearly identified that the current arrangements are too complex, that the Stage 3 Panel stage is unnecessary and confusing and that there should be clearer links between social services procedures and the All Wales Model Complaints Procedures.  It also identified issues regarding timescales and how complainants were kept informed about the process of their complaints.


I am taking these matters forward now under the current legislation. I will be consulting on a new two stage process to be introduced in 2014\. This will include draft Regulations and Guidance and will be published online. The consultation will start in the fortnight.


The Draft Representations Procedure (Wales) Regulations 2013 are wider in scope than the previous Regulations.  The new provisions included will extend the application of the representation process to specific local authority functions and duties relating to adoption. The current Regulations pre–date the commencement of the primary legislation from which these provisions flow, namely the Adoption and Children Act 2002\.


Unnecessary differences between the two sets of Regulations will be removed wherever possible and the requirements to set up procedures to deal with either representations or complaints will be the same. Any differences required by the Acts themselves will be retained. The Guidance will support the whole process and will be simplified and streamlined.  I welcome the views of stakeholders on these matters.


Following analysis of the consultation responses I will bring forward the Regulations and they will be made under the Negative procedure.


The new process which I intend to bring forward will significantly improve the experience for people making complaints. It aligns timescales across other public service process and particularly the NHS. Overall it will simplify the process for handling complaints when multiple agencies are involved. As now, citizens will continue to have recourse to the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales at any stage.


I am clear that it is important to align the social services process more closely with other public services processes.  I am also clear that this more generic approach must be set within the context of the social services functions and duties in the primary legislation from which the complaints process derives and that the new process recognises that people making complaints about social services may need additional support and assistance. That is why I intend to retain specific requirements to ensure that people who use the process are offered assistance and guidance about the process and information about advocacy and in specific circumstances help in obtaining an advocate.  


The focus of the new proposed process is on early, local resolution and on tackling issues quickly and providing a response. Where matters need to progress to a formal investigation, I intend to  introduce a new requirement which will mean that all complaints that are considered at this second, formal stage are investigated by a person who is independent of the local authority being complained about.  These steps are being taken as a direct response to deal with issues raised through my original consultation about the independence of investigations undertaken by local authorities.      


All of these matters can be dealt with under the current primary legislation.        


The *Making Things Better* consultation also asked people about access to advocacy and support and whether the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales should be enabled to consider complaints from adults who fund their own care.  


I am taking these matters forward through the Social Services and Well\-being (Wales) Bill.  Provisions in the Bill enable a statutory duty to be placed on local authorities to provide assistance to people who make complaints or representations. This is a new provision and one that I know is welcomed.


The Bill also includes the necessary provision to enable the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales to consider complaints from adults who fund their own care. This is a significant enhancement for citizens and one which I believe will contribute to our overall objective of improving care and support for all people.


We will be working closely with stakeholders through the consultation period to ensure that we get the new process right and to ensure that we have a smooth transition from the current three stage process.  I look forward to bringing the final Regulations forward to the Assembly in 2014\.  


Members will also wish to be aware that the intention is for an amending set of Regulations to be made following the enactment of the Social Services and Well\-being (Wales) Bill. At that stage they will take account of the new provisions being set out in the Bill which I have described above.


 


 


 


 


 


 


 







Translation:


 
Rwyf am roi’r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i’r Aelodau am y gwaith sy’n mynd rhagddo i foderneiddio a symleiddio trefn gwynion y gwasanaethau cymdeithasol.

Rwyf am sicrhau bod proses gwynion y gwasanaethau cymdeithasol yn gyson â Gweithdrefnau Cwynion Enghreifftiol Cymru Gyfan, a ddatblygwyd gan Grŵp Cwynion Cymru, ac a fabwysiadwyd ar draws y gwasanaethau cyhoeddus ac yn benodol i fod yn unol â phroses gwynion y GIG.

Mae hyn yn flaenoriaeth allweddol ar draws y gwasanaethau cyhoeddus ac roedd yn un o’r materion a godwyd gan y Pwyllgor Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol yn ystod Cam 1 y proses graffu ar Fil Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol a Llesiant (Cymru).

Yn ei adroddiad codwyd pryderon penodol gan y Pwyllgor y dylai’r broses o ymdrin â chwynion fod yn symlach pan fydd asiantaethau niferus yn ymwneud â’r broses. Nodais wrth ymateb i’r adroddiad y byddwn yn gwneud datganiad am y materion hyn.

Y llynedd cynhaliais ymgynghoriad eang, Gwneud Pethau’n Well  ar y trefniadau presennol ar gyfer cwynion yn y gwasanaethau cymdeithasol. Roedd yr ymgynghoriad hwnnw’n cynnwys ystod eang o randdeiliaid. Un o’r prif faterion a ystyriwyd gan yr ymgynghoriad oedd sut y gellid sicrhau bod proses y gwasanaethau cymdeithasol yn fwy cyson â Pholisi Pryderon a Chwynion Enghreifftiol Cymru Gyfan a ddatblygwyd gan Grŵp Cwynion Cymru, ac yn benodol â’r broses sydd yn ei lle ar gyfer Gwneud Pethau’n Well y GIG. Roeddwn yn poeni’n benodol am wella eglurder a thryloywder y broses gyfredol a’i gwneud yn symlach i sefydliadau gwasanaeth cyhoeddus gydgysylltu eu gwaith er lles y dinesydd.

Nododd yr ymgynghoriad yn glir fod y trefniadau cyfredol yn rhy gymhleth, bod Cam 3 y Panel yn ddiangen ac yn ddryslyd, ac y dylai fod cysylltiadau mwy clir rhwng gweithdrefnau gwasanaethau cymdeithasol a Gweithdrefnau Cwynion Enghreifftiol Cymru Gyfan. Nododd hefyd faterion ynghylch amserlenni a sut y caiff achwynwyr wybod am y broses gwynion.

Rwy’n bwrw ymlaen â’r materion hyn nawr o dan y ddeddfwriaeth bresennol. Byddaf yn ymgynghori ar broses newydd dau gam a gaiff ei chyflwyno yn 2014\. Bydd hyn yn cynnwys Rheoliadau a Chanllawiau drafft a gaiff eu cyhoeddi ar lein. Bydd yr ymgynghoriad yn dechrau o fewn pythefnos. 

Mae’r Rheoliadau Gweithdrefn Sylwadau (Cymru) 2013 drafft yn ehangach eu sgôp na’r Rheoliadau blaenorol. Bydd y darpariaethau newydd sy’n cael eu cynnwys yn ehangu’r modd y defnyddir y broses sylwadau mewn rhai swyddogaethau a dyletswyddau penodol gan yr awdurdod lleol mewn perthynas â mabwysiadu. Mae’r Rheoliadau cyfredol wedi’u gwneud cyn cychwyn y ddeddfwriaeth sylfaenol ar gyfer y darpariaethau hyn, sef Deddf Mabwysiadu a Phlant 2002\.

Caiff gwahaniaethau diangen rhwng y ddwy set o Reoliadau eu dileu lle bo’n bosibl a bydd y gofynion i greu gweithdrefnau i ddelio â naill ai sylwadau neu gwynion yr un fath. Cedwir unrhyw wahaniaethau sy’n ofynnol gan y Deddfau eu hunain. Bydd y Canllawiau’n cefnogi’r broses gyfan a byddant yn cael eu symleiddio. Rwy’n croesawu barn y rhanddeiliaid ar y materion hyn.

Yn dilyn dadansoddiad o’r ymatebion i’r ymgynghoriad byddaf yn cyflwyno’r Rheoliadau a byddant yn cael eu gwneud o dan y weithdrefn Negyddol.

Bydd y proses newydd y bwriadaf ei chyflwyno yn gwella’n sylweddol brofiad y bobl sy’n gwneud y cwynion. Mae’n cyd\-fynd ag amserlenni prosesau eraill y gwasanaeth cyhoeddus ac yn benodol y GIG. Yn gyffredinol, bydd yn symleiddio’r broses o ddelio â chwynion pan fydd asiantaethau niferus yn delio â’r cwynion. Fel sy’n digwydd ar hyn o bryd, bydd gan y dinesydd yr hawl i droi at Ombwdsmon Gwasanaethau Cyhoeddus Cymru ar unrhyw gam.

Rwy’n glir ei bod yn bwysig cysoni’r broses gwasanaethau cymdeithasol yn agosach â phrosesau gwasanaethau cyhoeddus eraill. Rwyf hefyd yn glir bod yn rhaid gosod y dull mwy cyffredinol hwn o weithredu o fewn cyd\-destun swyddogaethau a dyletswyddau gwasanaethau cymdeithasol yn y ddeddfwriaeth sylfaenol y mae’r broses gwynion yn deillio ohoni. Hefyd, dylai’r broses newydd gydnabod bod angen cefnogaeth a chymorth ychwanegol ar bobl sy’n gwneud cwynion am wasanaethau cymdeithasol. Dyna pam rwy’n bwriadu cadw rhai gofynion penodol i wneud yn siŵr fod pobl sy’n defnyddio’r broses yn cael cynnig cymorth ac arweiniad ar y broses a gwybodaeth am eiriolaeth, ac mewn amgylchiadau penodol help i gael eiriolwr.

Gall deddfwriaeth sylfaenol bresennol ddelio â’r materion hyn i gyd.

Roedd yr ymgynghoriad Gwneud Pethau’n Well hefyd yn holi pobl ynghylch mynediad i eiriolaeth a chymorth ac a ddylai Ombwdsmon Gwasanaethau Cyhoeddus Cymru allu ystyried cwynion gan oedolion sy’n talu am eu gofal eu hunain.

Rwy’n bwrw ymlaen â’r materion hyn drwy Fil Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol a Llesiant (Cymru). Mae’r darpariaethau yn y Bil yn golygu y gellir rhoi dyletswydd statudol ar awdurdodau lleol i ddarparu cymorth i bobl sy’n gwneud cwynion neu sylwadau. Mae hon yn ddarpariaeth newydd a gwn fod croeso iddi.

Mae’r Bil hefyd yn cynnwys y ddarpariaeth angenrheidiol i alluogi Ombwdsmon Gwasanaethau Cyhoeddus Cymru i ystyried cwynion gan oedolion sy’n talu am eu gofal eu hunain. Mae hyn yn welliant sylweddol i’r dinesydd ac yn un a fydd, yn fy marn i, yn cyfrannu at ein hamcan cyffredinol o wella gofal a chymorth i bawb.

Byddwn yn cydweithio’n agos â rhanddeiliaid drwy’r cyfnod ymgynghori i sicrhau ein bod yn cael y broses newydd yn iawn ac i sicrhau bod y trosglwyddo o’r broses dri cham gyfredol yn digwydd yn ddidrafferth. Edrychaf ymlaen at gyflwyno’r Rheoliadau terfynol gerbron y Cynulliad yn 2014\.

Bydd yr Aelodau hefyd am wybod mai’r bwriad yw gwneud set o Reoliadau diwygio ar ôl i Fil Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol a Llesiant (Cymru) ddod i rym. Ar y cam hwnnw byddant yn rhoi ystyriaeth i’r darpariaethau newydd a nodir yn y Bil, ac a ddisgrifiais uchod.