Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the standard of care provided at the Care Provider’s care home. This is because the complaint is late and there are no good reasons why the complaint was not brought to us sooner.

The complaint

1. Mrs X complained about the care Mr Y received at the Care Provider’s care home. She says it provided poor care and hygiene practices and failed to ensure his belongings were safe from damage or theft. She also complained it failed to keep her updated about her father’s health and wellbeing.
2. She says this has caused her to regret sending her father there and is angry and frustrated at the service her father received.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

3. The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions on what we can investigate.
4. 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

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

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My assessment

7. Mr Y began living at the care home in 2018. In early 2024 Mr Y’s executors raised a complaint about the service he had received during his time in the care home. Mrs X is one of Mr Y’s executors
8. It explained they were unhappy with the care homes failure:
• to tell family members of changes in Mr Y’s condition, concerns he had and assessments,
• to ensure Mr Y received suitable personal care, and
• to ensure it kept Mr Y’s belongings safe from damage or theft.
9. We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint. The cause for the complaints happened more than 12 months ago and as such the complaint is late. There are no good reasons why Mrs X could not have complained to us sooner.

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Final decision

10. We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because it is late and there are no good reasons she could not have complained to us sooner.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman