Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a loss of personal property while Mrs X was resident with the Care Provider. The Police are a more appropriate body to investigate these concerns, and we cannot achieve what the complainant is looking for in any case.

The complaint

1. Mr Y complained on behalf of his deceased mother, Mrs X. Mr Y said a valuable item of Mrs X’s personal property went missing, while she was a resident staying with the Care Provider. Mr Y said this has caused him unnecessary stress.
2. Mr Y wants an investigation and for the Care Provider to provide compensation for the financial loss of the property.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

3. 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, or we cannot achieve the outcome someone wants. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

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How I considered this complaint

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

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My assessment

5. Mr Y complained to the Care Provider, saying they believed that a valuable item of personal property was taken from Mrs X, during the time she was a resident. The Care Provider said it would carry out an investigation and Mr Y then complained to us.
6. I will not investigate Mr Y’s complaint. This is because the Police are better suited to investigate allegations of crime.
7. Additionally, our role is to investigate complaints where there are organisational faults, that have caused an injustice and where we can achieve a remedy for the person affected. We could not achieve what Mr Y is looking for. We could not determine the Care Provider was liable for the loss of personal property, or direct it to compensate Mr Y. Only the courts could do this.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Mr Y’s complaint because there is another body better placed and we cannot achieve what Mr Y is looking for.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman