• The complaint
• The Ombudsman’s role and powers
• How I considered this complaint
• My assessment
• Final decision

The Ombudsman's final decision:

Summary: We will not investigate Mr B’s complaint about care provided to his late mother, Mrs C. This is because further investigation could not add to the Care Provider’s response. We are satisfied with the remedy provided by the Care Provider.

The complaint

1. Mr B complained his late mother, Mrs C, received poor care from her Care Provider and that she was neglected. In addition, he did not receive appropriate communication from the Care Provider about Mrs C’s weight loss and health which caused him distress and resulted in him moving her to a different home during lockdown. Mr B says the Care Provider should reimburse all or part of the fees the late Mrs C paid for care she did not receive.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We investigate complaints about adult social care providers and decide whether their actions have caused an injustice, or could have caused injustice, to the person making the complaint. I have used the term fault to describe such actions. (Local Government Act 1974, sections 34B and 34C)

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How I considered this complaint

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

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My assessment

5. The Care Provider responded to Mr B’s concerns and explained Mrs C’s weight loss charts, what contact it had with her GP and provided copies of her care plans and assessments. It disputed Mr B’s assertions that Mrs C was not cared for and advised him of the care records showing what care she received.
6. It did however find Mr B had not been informed of the changes in Mrs C’s health, weight loss and GP consultations. It apologised for this and advised Mr B it has discussed the need for improvements in communications and more detailed record keeping with staff.
7. The Care Provider said when Mrs C first entered the home in November 2020, her care had been paid for under Covid-19 funding. This ceased on 8 January and from that time Mrs C would be privately funding her care. At the time of leaving the home on 11 March 2021, she had accrued a debt of £3600 which was not paid. It said it did not agree to refund any fees paid but advised it would not pursue payments not received.
8. Mr B says he should be reimbursed monies Mrs C paid for her care because she was neglected. We have not seen any evidence of this. We are satisfied an apology and service improvements remedies the injustice caused to Mr B.

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Final decision

9. We will not investigate Mr B’s complaint because we are satisfied with the remedy provided by the Care Provider.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman

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