Summary: We will not investigate this late complaint about the standard of care in a care home. There is not a good reason Mrs X did not complain to us sooner.

The complaint

1. Mrs X complained the Care Provider neglected her mother (Mrs Y) while in its care. Her room was dirty, she wore the same stained jumper for a week and her room was not cleaned properly. Mrs X says the Care Provider did not intervene when Mrs Y was poorly and she was not satisfied with its response to a safeguarding incident. Mrs X’s mental health has deteriorated. She wants the Care Provider to learn lessons.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We cannot investigate late complaints unless we decide there are good reasons. Late complaints are when someone takes more than 12 months to complain to us about something a care provider has done. (Local Government Act 1974, sections 26B and 34D, as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

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

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My assessment

5. This complaint concerns events between August 2019 and December 2020, when Mrs Y passed away. Mrs X raised concerns with the Care Provider at various points during this period.
6. We usually require complaints to be brought to us within 12 months of events. There is not a good reason Mrs X did not bring her complaint sooner.

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Final decision

7. We will not investigate Mrs X’s late complaint because there is not a good reason she did not complain to us sooner.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman