Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the care provided to her late mother, Mrs Y, and the way the care provider communicated with her. This is because further investigation by the Ombudsman is unlikely to add to the Council’s response.

The complaint

1. Mrs X complains about the care her mother, Mrs Y, received in a residential care home before she died in 2020. Mrs X says that personal belongings went missing, communication with the family from the care home was poor and the care of Mrs Y was not good enough.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. The Ombudsman investigates 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 may decide not to continue with an investigation if we decide:

• we could not add to any previous investigation by the organisation, or
• further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6))

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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. Mrs X raised several concerns about the care Mrs Y received from her care provider prior to her death in August 2020. Mrs X also complained about the way the care provider communicated with her and items which were lost or went missing belonging to Mrs Y.
6. We could not provide a remedy for any injustice caused to Mrs Y, even if we investigated and found evidence of fault. The care provider investigated Mrs X’s concerns. The Council commissioned an independent investigation into the matters and responded to Mrs X.
7. Mrs X says that she has not had answers to all the questions she raised, however, it is not the role of the Ombudsman to provide these answers. The Council has investigated her complaints, apologised for the failings it found during its investigation and implemented the findings of the independent report. In addition, it further recommended its commissioning team ensures all care providers document residents belongings and record the name of the family member who they communicate with. It is unlikely further investigation by the Ombudsman could add to this or make a different finding.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because we could not add to the Council’s response or make a different finding.

Investigator’s decision on behalf of the Ombudsman

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman