Summary: Mr C complained about the standard of care provided to his late mother at a Council commissioned care home, the visiting restrictions imposed on him by the care home, and the Council’s safeguarding process which failed to uphold his complaints. Mr C says the Council’s failures have caused him personal distress and anxiety and his mother’s health deteriorated because of the inadequate care she received.

Finding

The Ombudsman upheld the complaint and found fault causing injustice.

Recommendations

The Council has agreed to:

• formally acknowledge the failures identified in this report and apologise to Mr C for the frustration, distress, time and trouble the Care Provider’s and Council’s actions caused him;
• pay Mr C £650 to reflect:
  • the distress he was caused by the Care Provider banning him from the care home without notice;
  • the distress he was caused from not seeing his mother for six weeks; and
  • his time and trouble in having to raise his complaints with both the Care Provider and Council for the restrictions to be removed;
• through contract monitoring processes ensure the Care Provider:
  • reminds care staff about what actions to take before a person is excluded from a care home;
  • reminds care staff about the importance of recording risk assessments and that these are evidence based rather than opinion;
  • provides training to staff about anti discriminatory recording and behaviours;
• remind staff about the importance of telling people the outcome of safeguarding investigations as quickly as possible;
• remind staff about recording and completing any follow up actions arising from a safeguarding investigation.

Ombudsman satisfied with Council's response: 27 July 2022

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