Barchester Healthcare Homes Limited (24 022 879)

Statement Upheld Residential care 12-Jan-2026

Summary: The Care Provider failed to update Mrs Y’s care plan to reflect a change in her care needs around continence. There was also a failure to ensure Mrs Y saw a chiropodist regularly. This caused avoidable distress for which the Care Provider has apologised, completed staff training and introduced a new policy around continence care. This action is appropriate and so there is no need for us to make any recommendations. We did not uphold complaints about poor oral care or a failure to obtain treatment for a urine infection.

Green Lane Care Centre (25 010 204)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Residential care 09-Jan-2026

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint as it is outside our jurisdiction. Mr X’s care was arranged and funded by the NHS and so the complaint can be investigated by the Health Services Ombudsman.

Southside Partnership (25 015 368)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Residential care 08-Jan-2026

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Care Provider not being able to provide him with a narrative for his late sister’s holidays. This is because the complaint is late and there are no good reasons why Mr X did not complain sooner. Furthermore, we would not be able to add to the Care Provider’s investigation.

Care UK Care Services Limited (25 011 335)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Residential care 08-Jan-2026

Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about the residential care provided to her mother Ms Y. There is insufficient significant injustice to Ms X and Ms Y caused by the matters complained of to warrant us investigating. An investigation by us would not achieve a different outcome than that provided by the care provider.

Hertfordshire County Council (25 009 525)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Residential care 07-Jan-2026

Summary: We will not investigate this late complaint about an accident Mr X’s mother had in a care home, which Mr X believed was due to inadequate assessment of her needs before her arrival. There is not good reasoning for the entire period of delay in the matter being brought to the Ombudsman.

City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council (25 001 509)

Statement Upheld Residential care 07-Jan-2026

Summary: Priority Care Home (the Care Home) which provided services on behalf of the Council was at fault in how it cared for Ms G. The Care Home failed to adequately communicate with Mrs X or other professionals about Ms G’s deteriorating behaviour before giving her notice to leave the Home. This caused Mrs X and Ms G distress and uncertainty. The Council has already apologised to Mrs X for the injustice caused and has ensured the Care Home has carried out some service improvements to prevent recurrence of the fault. The Council agreed to ensure the Care Home now reviews how it communicates with a resident’s Next of Kin/family members going forward.

London Borough of Islington (24 009 076)

Statement Upheld Residential care 19-Dec-2025

Summary: On behalf of Mrs X, Mr Y complained about the communication, staff conduct, and quality of care provided by a Care Home commissioned by the Council. Mr Y also complained the Council’s safeguarding investigation did not fully address his concerns. We found the Council took too long to complete its safeguarding investigation. We also found the Council at fault for not considering Mr Y’s concerns in full as part of its safeguarding investigation. This caused avoidable frustration, distress and uncertainty. We also believe Mrs X was exposed to the avoidable risk of harm due to the Council’s faults. The Council has already taken some action to address concerns about the Care Home. To address the remaining injustice, the Council has agreed to apologise and pay a symbolic financial remedy to Mrs X. The Council has also agreed to review the faults identified and confirm to the Ombudsman what action it will take to prevent recurrence.

Cambridgeshire County Council (24 021 792)

Statement Upheld Residential care 17-Dec-2025

Summary: The Council’s commissioned care provider failed to provide a good standard of care for the late Mrs X, failed to keep proper records in accordance with the regulations and did not provide her nutrition in accordance with the hospital discharge instructions. The Council agrees to recognise the considerable distress caused to Ms B and her family by the care provider’s failings.

Danforth Care No. 1 Limited (25 004 224)

Statement Upheld Residential care 16-Dec-2025

Summary: Ms X complained about poor service during her respite stay at Heatherton House, and the care provider’s failure to escalate her concerns. She left early due to the undue distress caused. Ms X received a partial refund for the unused days since making the complaint to us. The evidence shows there was fault in the service, which the care provider acknowledged in its stage 1 response. Following our enquiries, the care provider offered a full refund for the whole stay, which is an appropriate outcome.

Hertfordshire County Council (25 011 044)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Residential care 16-Dec-2025

Summary: We will not investigate a complaint about a failure to tell a woman’s family when she died. Services provided coherent explanations for why they did not contact anyone. It is unlikely that an investigation would be able to find evidence of fault.