Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council (23 008 389)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Covid-19 13-Nov-2023

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a care home not receiving some funding. The complaint is late without good enough reason to investigate it now.

Moorland Gardens Care Home (21 018 989a)

Statement Not upheld Covid-19 24-Sep-2023

Summary: Mrs O complained about arrangements for her late mother’s discharge from hospital to a care home during the COVID-19 pandemic. She said her mother was too unwell to be discharged and should have stayed in hospital. Mrs O also complained about her mother’s care at the care home. Mrs W’s health deteriorated within a few days of leaving hospital and she died. We did not find evidence of fault by the organisations.

Surrey County Council (23 007 520)

Statement Upheld Covid-19 13-Sep-2023

Summary: The Care Provider, acting for the Council was at fault as there was a top up fee for the late Mrs Y’s care with no third party top up agreement being in place. The Council will repay the top up fee. The Care Provider’s complaint handling was not in line with our expected standards. It will apologise and take action set out in this statement to prevent recurrence.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council (23 000 585)

Statement Upheld Covid-19 16-Aug-2023

Summary: Mr X complains about the Council’s handling of safeguarding concerns over his mother receiving a COVID-19 booster vaccination against his wishes. The Council has failed to ensure the safeguarding enquiries are concluded, which has left Mr X unsure whether the same thing could happen again. The Council needs to apologise, complete the safeguarding enquiries and take action to prevent safeguarding enquiries being allowed to drift in future.

Sunderland City Council (23 005 222)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Covid-19 16-Aug-2023

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint he could not visit his father, Mr Y at his assisted living complex during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. That is because this is a late complaint.

Staffordshire County Council (23 002 828)

Statement Upheld Covid-19 26-Jul-2023

Summary: Mrs X complained about the late payment to her son, of overpaid contributions he made towards his care costs. We upheld the complaint, finding the Council delayed in refunding this money. This put Mrs X to unnecessary time, trouble and uncertainty. The Council has accepted these findings. At the end of this statement, we set out the action it has agreed to remedy that injustice.

Worcestershire County Council (22 017 722)

Statement Upheld Covid-19 04-Jul-2023

Summary: Ms X complains the Council’s Reablement Team took revenge on her after she complained about one of its assistants, by giving her caffeinated tea which made her ill. The Council upheld her original complaint and apologised. There is no evidence of fault by the Council causing injustice which requires a further remedy.

Willow Tower Opco 1 Limited (23 000 301)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Covid-19 22-May-2023

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about adult social care in a residential care home. This is because we could not add to the Care Provider’s investigation or reach a different outcome. The Care Provider has acknowledged the distress it caused by apologising and offering a payment. It has advised of the actions it will take to improve future service. The Ombudsman could not achieve anything further than the remedy already provided.

Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council (22 012 616)

Statement Not upheld Covid-19 23-Apr-2023

Summary: Ms X complains the Council failed to deal properly with the funding for her father’s care home placement in March 2020, resulting in him paying for care which should have been free. Her father did not qualify for free care under the Government’s COVID-19 Hospital Discharge Service Requirements.

North Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council (22 009 167)

Statement Upheld Covid-19 03-Apr-2023

Summary: Ms X complains the Council has failed to deal properly with her over the use of her direct payments during the COVID-19 pandemic, having ignored Government Guidance and then accused her of misusing them, leaving her distressed and afraid of accepting further direct payments. The Council failed to reassess her needs in May 2021, failed to take account of the need for flexibility over the use of direct payments and failed to address her questions about the use of her direct payments. This caused avoidable distress and left Ms X without the support she needed. The Council needs to apologise and pay financial redress.