Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the professional conduct of a social worker. Social Work England is better placed to consider and decide complaints about social worker conduct.

The complaint

1. Miss X complains a social worker shared her personal information with other people, without a professional reason to do so.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse impact on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We do not start or continue an investigation if we decide there is another body better placed to consider this complaint. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by the complainant.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. Miss X complained a social worker shared her personal information with others. Miss X wants the social worker to be suspended from her role.
6. Social Work England (SWE) is the professional regulator for social workers and has powers to carry out investigations into their actions.
7. SWE is better placed to consider this complaint and so we will not investigate.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because Social Work England is better placed to consider it.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman