Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the quality of care in a residential home. This is because the complaint does not meet the tests in our Assessment Code on how we decide which complaints to investigate. The Care Provider has closed down and the Council has no record of any complaint being made to it. We are therefore unable to carry out a meaningful investigation or achieve the complainant’s desired outcome.

The complaint

1. The complainant, who I refer to here as Miss O, says she feels her daughter was mistreated at the Residential Home, and not given the care and understanding she needed for her disabilities. Miss O would like a full investigation of her daughter’s complaints.

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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 cannot achieve the outcome someone wants. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6))

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How I considered this complaint

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

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Final decision

5. We will not investigate the complaint because we would be unable to carry out a meaningful investigation or provide the complainant’s desired outcome.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman