Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the support provided by the Council’s adult social care service. The Council has apologised to Mr X and acted to learn from the complaint. Further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains that the Council upheld his complaint about a lack of adult social care support, but he is concerned the Council may not have acted to improve its service for others, as it agreed.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse impact on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We do not start or continue an investigation if we decide further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. The Council upheld Mr X’s complaint that it did not provide sufficient support whilst his allocated worker was on leave. It apologised to him for this.
6. I have seen evidence that the Council has shared the learning from this complaint with relevant officers to improve its service and prevent recurrence.
7. We will not investigate this complaint. The Council’s apology is an appropriate remedy for any injustice caused to him. It has acted to improve its service. Further investigation by us would not lead to a different outcome or achieve anything more.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because an investigation would not lead to a different outcome or achieve anything more.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman