Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about difficulties in arranging a medical waste collection as there is insufficient evidence of significant injustice caused to the complainant to justify our further action.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains about difficulties arranging a medical waste collection by the Council and he is unhappy that the service has not been improved despite him having complained before.

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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 any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement, or it is unlikely we could achieve a worthwhile outcome by our investigation (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. Mr X complains the Council provides limited collection slots for medical waste and that he has to spend hours online securing such a slot. Mr X wants the Council to improve its service.
6. In its complaint response to Mr X, the Council acknowledged Mr X’s frustration and advised it was working with its contractor to increase the number of collections.
7. While I recognise Mr X was put to some inconvenience, I do not consider he has provided evidence of harm or loss (injustice) to such a degree as to warrant our further involvement. Additionally, as the Council has confirmed it is working to improve its service, it seems unlikely we could achieve anything in addition to this by investigating.
8. For these reasons, we will not investigate this complaint.

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Final decision

9. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because there is insufficient evidence of a significant injustice caused to him and our further involvement is therefore not warranted.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman