Bramcote Hills Care Home (19 018 460b)

Statement Not upheld Residential care 23-Mar-2021

Summary: Dr A has complained in relation to the care of her mother at a Care Home and the delay in a fast-track application for Continuing Healthcare funding. We do not find fault with the care provided or the delay in the application that caused Dr A the injustice has claimed.

Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council (19 005 282)

Statement Not upheld Direct payments 23-Mar-2021

Summary: There is no fault in the way the Council calculated Ms X’s contributions towards her care. It has given her ample opportunity to provide the evidence requested for a review. There is no fault in the way the Council administered Ms X’s carer’s pension contributions. The evidence shows Ms X’s carer did not contact the pensions body at the right time to opt out of contributions: once she did so, the situation was resolved.

Porthaven Care Homes No 2 Limited (20 002 698)

Statement Upheld Residential care 23-Mar-2021

Summary: Mr X complained the Care Provider, Porthaven Care Homes, failed to ensure his mother, Mrs Y, was given her medication for several days which he says led to her being hospitalised. Mr X also complained the Care Provider failed to keep accurate care records. He said this caused him and Mrs Y significant distress and upset. The Care Provider was at fault when it failed to follow its complaints process, did not stock Mrs Y’s medication for several days and kept records which were unclear and contradictory. The Care Provider should address this by apologising to Mr X and reminding its staff of the importance of following its complaints process and keeping accurate records.

Everycare (Medway & Swale) Ltd (20 003 236)

Statement Upheld Domiciliary care 23-Mar-2021

Summary: Mrs X complained, on behalf of her and her mother Ms Y, about the way the care provider responded when their late relative Mr Z had two falls in his flat. We cannot make a finding on the extent to which staff assisted Mr Z get off the floor. The care provider was not at fault in the way it sought medical assistance after the fall, in line with Mr Z’s wishes. The care provider’s record keeping was poor and this is fault. It has already taken action to address this through staff training. The care provider has agreed to apologise to Mrs X and Ms Y and make a payment to acknowledge the uncertainty and distress caused to them by the poor records.

London Borough of Barking & Dagenham (20 004 827)

Statement Not upheld Transport 23-Mar-2021

Summary: Mr X complained the Council failed to properly consider his appeal after it rejected his application for a Blue Badge and did not provided an adequate reason for the rejection. He said the Council’s actions have negatively affected his ability to leave the house and put him to unnecessary time and trouble. There was no fault in the Council’s management of Mr X’s Blue Badge appeal.

Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council (19 017 047)

Statement Upheld Other 22-Mar-2021

Summary: Mr and Mrs X complained that the Council has failed to provide suitable day care provision for their disabled son, Mr Y, since he left school in 2018. They also say it has failed to support them as carers and they have had no respite for over a year. We find the Council gave contradictory information to Mr and Mrs X about Mr Y’s proposed placement causing distress and uncertainty. It also failed to offer them a carer’s assessment despite being aware they were caring for Mr Y full-time. As a result, they suffered the uncertainty of not knowing whether any help could have been offered. In recognition of the injustice caused, the Council has agreed to apologise to Mr and Mrs X and make a payment.

West Berkshire Council (20 000 925)

Statement Upheld Residential care 22-Mar-2021

Summary: Mrs C complained about the way in which the care home, where her father had been placed by the Council, dealt with her (late) father’s repeated falls. There was fault that two measures were not considered that could potentially have reduced the risk of Mr F falling. The Council has agreed to apologise for any distress this may have caused Mrs C.

Ganymede Care Limited (20 002 710)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Residential care 22-Mar-2021

Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about her mother, Mrs Y’s, care at the care provider’s care home in 2015 and about its delay in responding to her complaint. The complaint lies outside the Ombudsman’s jurisdiction because it is late. There are no good grounds to exercise discretion to consider this very late complaint now.

Milton Keynes Council (20 008 428)

Statement Not upheld Direct payments 22-Mar-2021

Summary: The Council – which part-funds Mrs B’s care with a weekly direct payment – was not at fault for requiring her husband, Mr B, to pay her assessed weekly contribution into her direct payment account. It was entitled to charge her for her care, and Mr B had agreed in advance to make the payments. Mr B’s view – that, as the care he arranged cost less than Mrs B’s full personal budget, she should not have to pay for it – is not supported by statutory guidance or his direct payment agreement.

Essex County Council (20 003 299)

Statement Upheld Assessment and care plan 19-Mar-2021

Summary: Mrs Z has complained on behalf of her son, Mr Y. Mrs Z complains the Council has failed to provide Mr Y with a social worker for a prolonged period of time. She says this delayed his wish to move closer to his family. The Council was at fault for delays in providing Mr Y a social worker which in turned delayed his ability to move closer to his family. Also, the Council was at fault for failing to respond to Mrs Z in a reliable and responsible manner. This caused both Mr Y and Mrs Z and injustice and so the Ombudsman has recommended a remedy.