Date received: 2 November 2023
Date responded: 30 November 2023
Information Requested:
1. Please tell me Redress Scotland’s policy for responding to instances of reported abuse by members of the public to Redress Scotland staff?
2. Please also tell me, for each year since Redress Scotland was established:
a) The number of instances where staff have reported abuse from claimants or members of the public to their line manager, Human Resources, or other official with responsibility over that staff-member
b) What a) number and b) proportion of such reports of abuse have resulted in no further action being taken
c) For instances where further action was taken in response to reported abuse, please detail the different actions taken and the number of instances of each action being taken
d) The number of instances where a member of staff has reported abuse on more than one occasion and no further action was taken on each occasion
e) Whether any member of staff has reported internal complaints about the internal response to instances of reported abuse from claimants or members of the public; if so, how many such complaints have been reported.
Redress Scotland’s Response:
- Redress Scotland is currently developing a persistent and vexatious individuals policy to cover this area. As the policy has not been signed off I am unable to share the document, however the policy is clear that threats or abuse towards people is unacceptable. Individuals whose activity is assessed as “likely to cause distress or irritation” can be entered into a register and their contact with Redress Scotland can be limited to one format, set times on set days, an arrangement for one member of staff to respond, or other reasonable actions.
The individual can appeal a decision to place their name on the persistent and vexatious people register. The register will be reviewed annually and those who have not made any recent persistent and/or vexatious contact will have their names removed.
2. a) During the time that Redress Scotland has been in operation, there have been no recorded instances of abuse from members of the public being reported by staff to their line manager, human resources or other official.
b) See above
c) See above
d) See above
e) See above