London Borough of Wandsworth (25 011 710)
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about poor communication. The Council have offered a suitable remedy.
The complaint
- Miss X complains a social worker was insensitive and asked excessive questions meaning she had to provide the same information more than once.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’. In this statement, I have used the word fault to refer to these. We provide a free service but must use public money carefully. 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)
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- Miss X says a social worker asked her when she developed Autism. Miss X says she was also asked excessive questions about her and her family when the Council should have already known some of the information from previous contact she had had with them.
- The Council say they needed to ask the questions again to understand any changes since the previous contact they had had with Miss X.
- The Council recognise it was insensitive and inaccurate to ask Miss X when she developed Autism. The Council has apologised to Miss X. This is a suitable remedy and there is insufficient remaining injustice to warrant an investigation.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because the Council have offered a suitable remedy.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman