Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a Care Provider deregistering a temporary resident from their usual Doctors practice. The Care Provider has explained why this happened. It has apologised for not telling the complainant, which caused surprise, worry and frustration when they tried to get their medication. It also caused time and trouble having to reregister. The Care Provider sent flowers and offered a discount off a future stay. It is unlikely an Ombudsman investigation would achieve anything further. The Care Provider’s actions are sufficient to acknowledge the impact.

The complaint

1. Ms B says when her relative, Ms C, had a short respite stay at a care home it deregistered Ms C from her Doctors surgery. This caused frustration, time and trouble having to reregister. Ms C was worried about not getting medication. Ms C no longer wants to have any further respite stays for worry of the same thing happening again. Ms B wants financial compensation.

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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)
3. We provide a free service but must use public money carefully. We may decide not to start or continue with an investigation if we believe:

• the injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement, or
• it is unlikely we could add to any previous investigation by the care provider, or
• it is unlikely further investigation will lead to a different outcome.

(Local Government Act 1974, sections 34B(8) and (9))

4. We may decide not to start or continue with an investigation if we are satisfied with the actions an organisation has taken or proposes to take. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(7), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

5. I considered information provided by the complainant.
6. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

7. Ms C went to The Warren, run by Barchester Healthcare (the Care Provider) for a short stay. The Care Provider needed to temporarily register Ms C with the local GP practice should such support be needed during her stay.
8. The Care Provider accepts it failed to tell Ms C or Ms B that the GP practice have a policy to permanently register anyone after 16 days, and that is what happened in Ms C’s case. So, it was a surprise to Ms B when she went to order Ms C’s medication from her normal GP and found she was no longer registered there. This caused some frustration, time and trouble having to reregister.
9. The Care Provider has apologised, sent Ms C some flowers, and offered to apologise in person. I consider this is appropriate action to recognise the impact on Ms B and Ms C, and it is unlikely an Ombudsman investigation would achieve anything further. We do not investigate all complaints we receive. In deciding whether to investigate we need to consider various tests. These include the alleged injustice to the person complaining. We only investigate the most serious complaints. There has been an impact on Ms B and Ms C, but not significant enough to justify investigation, especially given the Care Provider has accepted fault and apologised.
10. The Care Provider has also offered a discount off a future respite stay. Ms B says this is of no use to them as Ms C is now worried and doesn’t wish to have a future stay. However, the same thing should only happen again if the length of the stay triggers the local GP practice policy to register the person as a permanent patient. This is something Ms B and Ms C could check before committing to a stay.

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Final decision

11. We will not investigate Ms B’s complaint because it is unlikely we would add to the Care Provider’s investigation or achieve a different outcome. The Care Provider has accepted fault, apologised, given flowers, and offered a discount off a future stay. This is sufficient action to acknowledge Ms B and Ms C’s worry, frustration, time and trouble.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman