London Borough of Hounslow (19 017 976)

Statement Not upheld Charging 28-Sep-2020

Summary: Mrs X complained that the Council failed to properly assess the amount her father could afford to pay towards his care. Mrs X has successfully appealed the decision of the NHS not to award her father continuing health care. This means the NHS will pay for his health and social care costs from June 2017. The Council will also write off any outstanding fees from before June 2017. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint because it is unlikely we could achieve anything more.

Bristol City Council (19 005 912)

Statement Not upheld Charging 22-Sep-2020

Summary: There is no evidence of fault in the way the Council managed Ms X’s request for a Deferred Payment Agreement for the care charges for her late mother Mrs A.

East Sussex County Council (19 013 811)

Statement Upheld Charging 21-Sep-2020

Summary: Ms C complains about the process through which the Council informed her about charges in relation to her mother’s temporary residential care. The Ombudsman found fault with regards to the Council’s actions. The Council’s offer to wave Mrs M’s temporary care home fees and pay a financial remedy for any distress, is a sufficient remedy for any injustice Mrs M and her family suffered.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council (20 003 027)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Charging 21-Sep-2020

Summary: On behalf of Mrs A, Mr X complains the Council has not properly taken into account Mrs A’s financial and personal circumstances in deciding how much she should contribute to her care costs. The Ombudsman will not investigate the complaint because we are unlikely to find evidence of fault and an investigation is unlikely to lead to a different outcome.

London Borough of Barking & Dagenham (19 020 865)

Statement Upheld Charging 21-Sep-2020

Summary: Mrs B complains that the Council issued her with a backdated large bill for contributions towards social care services, without having appropriately informed her about liability for such charges. The Ombudsman finds there was fault by the Council in this matter. The Council has agreed to waive the bill and to apologise to Mrs B for the injustice caused her by the fault. That is a satisfactory remedy.

The Cotswold Nursing Home Company Limited (19 008 118)

Statement Upheld Charging 15-Sep-2020

Summary: Mr X complaints on behalf of Mrs Y that the care provider failed to offset Funded Nursing Care payments against the fees charged for her care which she is self-funding. She was paying a higher fee to include nursing care and so expected to receive a refund and a fee reduction when she became entitled to FNC and her entitlement was backdated. The Ombudsman finds the care provider was at fault because the contract issued to Mrs Y does not explain how it treats FNC payments and information she was given at the outset led her to believe the amount of the FNC payment would be deducted from her fees. The Ombudsman has recommended a remedy for the injustice caused.

Sheffield City Council (20 002 758)

Statement Upheld Charging 15-Sep-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s funding of his mother-in-law’s care and the care provider’s failure to respond to his correspondence. This is because the Council has provided a suitable remedy for the complaint.

City of York Council (19 007 749)

Statement Not upheld Charging 09-Sep-2020

Summary: Mr X’s legal representative complained the Council, acting as Mr X’s Appointee, failed to safeguard Mr X’s finances. He says that Mr X’s care debts therefore increased. We found the Council appropriately considered Mr X’s situation when acting as his Appointee. It decided to prioritise clearing past debts and there is no evidence of fault in how it made this decision.

North Yorkshire County Council (19 015 333)

Statement Upheld Charging 09-Sep-2020

Summary: North Yorkshire County Council delayed assessing Mr B’s finances. It also most likely charged Mr B too much for his care between that period. We consider the Council’s fault caused Mr B and his mother distress which it has agreed to remedy.

Epsom Senior Care Limited (20 001 153)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Charging 08-Sep-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr B’s complaint about his father’s, Mr C’s care provider charging him for care while he was in hospital. Mr B says in hospital. This is because the injustice caused to Mr C is not significant enough to warrant an Ombudsman investigation.