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Case ref:201508113
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Date:September 2016
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Body:Scottish Prison Service
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Sector:Prisons
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Outcome:Some upheld, recommendations
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Subject:complaints handling
Summary
Mr C complained about how a prison investigated and responded to his complaint and the time taken to do so.
Mr C had submitted a Complaint about Confidential Matters using a PCF2 form. Scottish Prison Service (SPS) guidance states that on receiving a PCF2 form a response should be given within seven days. We found that the prison failed to investigate Mr C's complaint within the required timescale and did so without giving Mr C a reason for the delay and a revised timescale. We upheld this aspect of Mr C's complaint.
We were satisfied that apart from the unreasonable delay, the prison's investigation and their response to Mr C's complaint were adequate. We did not uphold this aspect of Mr C's complaint.
Recommendations
We recommended that SPS:
- ensure staff involved in the investigation of PCF2 complaints at the prison are aware of the relevant sections of the SPS guidance; and
- apologise to Mr C for a failure to adhere to the relevant timescales set out in the SPS guidance.