The Department does not maintain processing times in relation to files prepared for submission to the Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO). However, according the SWAO annual reports, of the time taken to process appeals, the number of weeks attributable to the Department were as follows:
Year
|
No. of weeks
|
2006
|
8 weeks
|
2007
|
10 weeks
|
2008
|
9 weeks
|
2009
|
10.5 weeks
|
2010
|
12.7 weeks
|
2011
|
13.7 weeks
|
It is clear from these figures that the average length of time taken to submit files has increased and this is attributable to the increased workloads being experienced by the scheme areas and the increased volume of requests for submissions from the SWAO as economic conditions deteriorated.
These processing times cover all aspects of the work involved in reviewing cases where appeals are received and in preparing files for submission to the SWAO. In the majority of cases, where notice of an appeal is received, the case will be reviewed by the Deciding Officer who made the initial decision. As part of that review:
there may be additional evidence which may impact on his or her original decision and which must be followed up with the customer;
there may be additional evidence which may warrant further investigation by a social welfare inspector;
the customer may be afforded a second medical assessment by a different Medical Assessor to the one who gave the original unfavourable opinion.
The file is returned to the Appeals Office once the Deciding Officer is satisfied that his or her original decision is robust and once he or she has prepared a submission addressing the issues raised by the appellant in support of the appeal.
The Department is committed to delivering the best possible service to its customers and works to ensure that claims are processed in the most efficient way possible, having regard to the eligibility conditions that apply to each scheme and to ensure, insofar as is possible, that funding is targeted at those most in need. In order to meet the challenges posed by the increasing volumes of claims, the department has embarked on a major programme of process redesign and modernisation, including the deployment of new computer systems.