London Borough of Barking and Dagenham (18 018 324)

Category : Environment and regulation > Health and safety

Decision : Upheld

Decision date : 15 Jan 2021

Summary: Mrs D complains the Council failed to take appropriate action after she raised concerns of a cancer cluster in her neighbourhood.

Finding

The Ombudsman upheld the complaint and found found causing injustice.

Recommendations

The Council has agreed to:

  •  provide the personal remedy it has offered Mrs D, which is to:
    • investigate her reports of a cancer cluster;
    • pay her £750 to recognise the distress, uncertainty and confusion its faults have caused her.
  • develop a procedure detailing its expectations for teams dealing with reports of non-infectious disease clusters. The procedure should:
    • be written to run alongside Guidance issued by Public Health England;
    • ensure there is no ‘wrong door’ to reports of this kind;
    • note the need for careful record keeping.
  • consider how it can use this report and the new procedure, to raise internal awareness of its public health duties; 

Ombudsman satisfied with Council's response: 26 May 2021.

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