Philippa Day
12 Feb 2021 · Coroner Gordon Clow · Nottingham and Nottinghamshire
A similar concern from this report was raised again 1 time later. See the linked reports.
The coroner's concerns
1. lack of specific training for call handlers interacting with mentally ill claimants
“Call handlers as the DWP had not received, in their preparatory course prior to commencing work taking calls from claimants, specific training as to how best to interact with persons suffering from mental ill health in such a way as to avoid inadvertently exacerbating the difficulties experienced in progressing claims for benefits by such persons”
2. inaccurate and brief call records
“Records of calls handled were very brief and, at times, inaccurate. The records did not facilitate accurate decision making or enable queries to be dealt with efficiently and without inadvertently exacerbating the difficulties experienced by [the deceased] in progressing her benefits claims”
3. inability to rectify incorrect assessment decisions and misleading communication about benefit cessation
“The change of assessment process did not allow for a decision, which was incorrect, to be rectified without evidence of a subsequent change of circumstances. In addition, when a change of review process was appropriate, there was no means by which upcoming appointments could be cancelled without causing prejudice to [the deceased]. A misleading letter was sent which led [the deceased] to consider that her benefits would be stopped if she did not attend the upcoming appointment”
Linked reports
Closely relatedConfidence 0.90 · high
This report
“Records of calls handled were very brief and, at times, inaccurate.”
Later report
“I am also concerned that the DWP currently has no ability to effectively audit its large payments caseload to ascertain whether the failure in record keeping evident in the present case has occurred in other cases.”
Responses
2021-0043-Response-from-Capita-Redacted.pdf ↗· Capita Business Services Ltd
2021-0043-Response-from-DWP-Redacted.pdf ↗· Department for Work and Pensions
Stated action · 1 April 2021
“From 1 April 2021 all new entrants handling PIP and Employment Support Allowance ("ESA";”
Stated action · March 2021
“issued internal communications to all staff working on PIP and ESA early in March 2021 to reinforce the importance of recording notes on the appropriate computer systems and remind them that all colleagues are required to ensure that notes: a. are made following all interactions with customers or third parties where an accurate record of it is needed, and b. are an accurate and factual account of the conversation, including both any action agreed or taken, and the full reasons for decisions made”
Stated action · end of Summer 2021
“also plan to add a new section, about recording notes on the PIP computer system, to the instructions that colleagues working on PIP claims use for guidance. We expect both of these actions to be completed by the end of Summer 2021.”
Stated action · March 2021
“Quality checkers will now deem only notes that meet the standards outlined in the best-practice guides to have complied with ESA processes”
Stated action · July 2019
“From July 2019 we began rolling out further training, on mental health, behaviour and relationships. This enables colleagues to recognise the effect of their personal impact on people with mental health conditions, and to respond appropriately to unexpected customer behaviour and identify a claimant's ability to proceed with a call or a face-to-face meeting”