London Borough of Haringey (25 018 487)
Category : Adult care services > Other
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 13 Mar 2026
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about the Council poorly managing her request to see her late sister’s care records. This is because the Information Commissioner’s Office is a better body to consider her complaint.
The complaint
- Miss X complained the Council poorly managed her request to see her late sister, Miss Y’s care records. She said the matter caused her frustration and distress. She wants the Council to provide her with the requested data and explain to her its reasons for its poor response. Miss X also wants the Council to provide her with an apology for the injustice caused.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- 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 there is another body better placed to consider this complaint. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by Miss X and the Council.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- Miss X’s sister, Miss Y, was receiving Council commissioned care. Miss Y died in 2022.
- In late 2023, Miss X requested the Council to share care records it held in relation to her sister’s care. Miss X said the Council delayed responding to her request and to date, it has failed to complete her request. She said it has only provided a small amount of data and the quality of the data is poor.
- We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint as there is another body better placed to consider her complaint. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) investigates complaints in relation to organisations delaying responding to subject access requests and providing incomplete and poor responses. It has the power to take action against organisations who fail to comply with relevant law. It would be reasonable for Miss X to take her complaint to the ICO.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because there is another body better placed to consider her complaint.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman