Worcestershire County Council (25 016 618)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 05-May-2026

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about alleged discriminatory comments made by a carer to Miss X. We could not add to the investigation the Care Provider carried out, nor could we achieve anything different or more meaningful by investigating the matter further. It is not proportionate to investigate complaint-handling in isolation when we are not investigating the substantive matter.

Nottinghamshire County Council (26 000 855)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 05-May-2026

Summary: We cannot investigate Ms X’s complaint about the Council’s actions in relation to placing her adult daughters in a care placement. This is because the law prevents us from investigating such matters and subsequently, we cannot achieve the outcome she wants.

London Borough of Redbridge (25 021 785)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 30-Apr-2026

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about how the Council installed an alarm unit in his late mother, Mrs Y’s, house and that it took payment from his account when he had cancelled the service. This is because the complaint is late and there are no good reasons why he did not complain to us sooner.

Northumberland County Council (25 011 099)

Statement Upheld Other 29-Apr-2026

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council held money belonging to her late husband without informing her. We find the Council at fault for failing to clearly inform Mrs X, as executor, about the funds it held and for not following the correct order of priority by failing to consider funeral expenses first. However, after Mrs X provided evidence of the funeral costs, the Council reimbursed these in full. We are therefore satisfied there is no remaining injustice. The Council has agreed to review and update its procedures for managing finances where it acts as deputy.

South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council (25 018 762)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 27-Apr-2026

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the poor care the Council accepted it provided to Miss X’s late father Mr Y in 2023 and 2024. We could not add significantly to the Council’s own findings, or deliver the outcome Miss X is seeking in determining whether there was negligence, and if compensation should be paid.

NHS Cheshire and Merseyside ICB (24 017 488a)

Statement Not upheld Other 26-Apr-2026

Summary: We upheld a complaint made by Mr B about a form used by the Alternative Futures Group when a user of its services is at end of life. We found the form caused unnecessary confusion. The Provider did not offer enough advice to staff on how to complete it, including how it recorded efforts to meet someone’s last wishes. Nor did it ask if the person completing the form if they wanted their wishes shared before death. We considered these faults caused Mr B some unnecessary distress when he learnt his brother had completed such a form before he died. However, we did not agree the form created an entitlement for Mr B to benefit from his brother’s estate. At the end of this statement, we ask the Alternative Futures Group to apologise, make a symbolic payment to Mr B and make service improvements to prevent a repeat.

Alternative Futures Group (24 017 488b)

Statement Upheld Other 26-Apr-2026

Summary: We upheld a complaint made by Mr B about a form used by the Alternative Futures Group when a user of its services is at end of life. We found the form caused unnecessary confusion. The Provider did not offer enough advice to staff on how to complete it, including how it recorded efforts to meet someone’s last wishes. Nor did it ask if the person completing the form if they wanted their wishes shared before death. We considered these faults caused Mr B some unnecessary distress when he learnt his brother had completed such a form before he died. However, we did not agree the form created an entitlement for Mr B to benefit from his brother’s estate. At the end of this statement, we ask the Alternative Futures Group to apologise, make a symbolic payment to Mr B and make service improvements to prevent a repeat.

Essex County Council (25 002 047)

Statement Upheld Other 26-Apr-2026

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about failing to respond to e-mail contact. We are satisfied with the Council’s actions to acknowledge fault and apologise for the impact.

Redditch Borough Council (25 006 169)

Statement Upheld Other 26-Apr-2026

Summary: The Council has acknowledged that it should have handled repairs to Mr B’s extra care housing better and given more consideration to the impact on him. It should have updated details of the family members to contact with concerns about Mr B, and explained why his laundry costs had increased. The Council has reviewed how it approaches these situations, and offered to make a symbolic payment to Mr B in recognition of the impact on him. This is a reasonable way to settle this complaint. There was no fault when it changed the timing of his morning care call.

C O O C I Associates LLP (25 006 529)

Statement Not upheld Other 26-Apr-2026

Summary: Mr X complained about the way the Provider dealt with him and the care of a family member, Mr Y. We found no fault in the actions of the Provider.