‘Vexatious’ complaints highlighted in annual council adult social care report
A council has described “vexatious” complaints to its adult social care department which led to formal restrictions on contact with officers being invoked.
Redcar and Cleveland Council said three individuals receiving adult social care services from the council were placed into this category in the financial year 2025/26.
The council said all three cases involved “unnecessarily persistent e-mail communications”, while two of the individuals used “inappropriate language”.
In one example given, ‘Miss Y’ refused to accept that certain queries related to other organisations and were therefore outside the council’s remit to address.
In all three cases “excessive demands” were placed on the time and resources of numerous council officers.
The formal restrictions included outlining that the local authority would only accept communications via e-mail to a single point of contact address.
In the case of a ‘Mr X’, meanwhile, council officers were also directed not to engage in telephone conversations.
The restrictions were put in place for a 12 month period and extended for another six months in one of the cases.
The scenarios were highlighted in a section of an annual ‘complaints and compliments’ report shared with adults, health and wellbeing scrutiny committee members.
The report said: “The council will handle complaints impartially, objectively, and professionally, treating complainants with respect.
“Complainants and their families will not face adverse treatment for making a complaint.
“However, if a complainant’s behaviour is abusive, offensive, or threatening, the council may restrict contact to protect staff.”
A total of 32 formal complaints were received in 2025/26, compared to 33 the previous 12 months, while compliments received by the department increased from 500 to 611 over the same period.
Seventeen (53%) of the complaints were upheld or partially upheld with the remainder either not upheld; resolved informally; proven inconclusive or unable to proceed due to a desired resolution being sought through an alternative process.
Formal complaints have fallen since 2022/23 having peaked at 65 in that year.
The majority of complaints (12) were about the quality of service delivery, with poor communication/information, staff conduct and financial disputes being other complained about elements.
The council said six adult social care formal complaints were investigated by the Local Government Social Care Ombudsman in 2025/26.
Of these two were upheld with the council being found at fault and injustice having been caused requiring remedy.
A third was also upheld, although no further action was required since a remedy had already been put in place.
One complaint considered by the ombudsman was not upheld and two more closed after initial enquiries with no further action.
An executive summary accompanying the report said: “Complaints, service requests and compliments form a vital part of our overall engagement activity.
“By listening to the adults we support, along with their carers and family we can gain valuable insight into the unique experiences of adults who use our services.
“Whilst our service works closely with adults and their families to ensure they understand what is happening or will happen when they receive care and support from us, there may be times where things go wrong.
“Our aim is to resolve and learn from complaints raised, identify when we are not getting things right and what we need to do to improve our services to ensure it does not happen again.”