Sheffield City Council (19 009 137)

Statement Upheld Assessment and care plan 22-May-2020

Summary: We uphold Mr X’s complaints about a delay in responding to his request for assistive technology for his wife Mrs X and a delay in reviewing her care and support plan. The fault caused avoidable distress and financial loss. The Council will apologise, identify a suitable respite placement for Mrs X, reimburse Mr X for items he has bought and make a payment to reflect his avoidable distress and time and trouble.

Sheffield City Council (19 005 588)

Statement Upheld Other 30-Jul-2020

Summary: Mr Y complained the Council failed to meet his brother Mr X’s needs due to the inadequacy of his current supported living accommodation and it failed to deal with the disruptive behaviour of another tenant. Any concerns Mr Y has about the current accommodation are matters for the housing association and are outside the Ombudsman’s jurisdiction. The Council is not at fault for the way it is meeting Mr X’s needs. It has taken action to address the concerns about the other tenant’s behaviour and is not at fault. It is at fault for failing to review Mr X’s care plan. It has agreed to do so now.

Sheffield City Council (19 018 849)

Statement Upheld Homelessness 28-Aug-2020

Summary: Mr K complains about how the Council has dealt with his housing situation. During my investigation, the Council has found that its files do not show how it considered all the information available to it and so it will review Mr K’s case and if he is entitled to more priority, it will backdate this. This is a reasonable way to settle this complaint.

Sheffield City Council (20 002 758)

Statement Upheld Charging 15-Sep-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s funding of his mother-in-law’s care and the care provider’s failure to respond to his correspondence. This is because the Council has provided a suitable remedy for the complaint.

Sheffield City Council (17 004 913)

Report Upheld Highway repair and maintenance 18-Sep-2020

Summary: Mr G complained about the removal of street trees from his road as part of the Council’s ‘Streets Ahead’ programme of works delivered by its contractor, Amey Hallam Highways plc.

Sheffield City Council (18 004 957)

Report Upheld Special educational needs 25-Sep-2020

Summary: Miss B complains about the Council’s provision for her son G’s education and Special Educational Needs (SEN) between September 2014 and September 2019.

Sheffield City Council (18 016 351)

Statement Upheld Domiciliary care 13-Nov-2020

Summary: Mr B complains on behalf of his partner, Ms C, about the quality of care she received between August and November 2018. We uphold the complaint finding fault in the care arranged by the Council and delivered by TLC Sheffield Home Care Ltd. We also find fault in how the Council responded to Mr B’s service requests and complaint. This caused injustice to Mr B and his partner as distress. The Council accepts these findings. At the end of this statement we set out the action it has agreed to remedy the injustice caused to Mr B and Ms C and improve the service it provides to others.

Sheffield City Council (19 019 521)

Statement Upheld Assessment and care plan 24-Nov-2020

Summary: Mr X complained about distress caused to him and his wife because of errors the Council made with a care assessment. He also complained the Council commissioned care with a provider he had complained about previously. We found there was fault. The Council apologised to Mr and Mrs X. The Council agreed to make a payment to recognise the distress caused.

Sheffield City Council (20 007 173)

Statement Upheld Highway repair and maintenance 10-Dec-2020

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about pavement works the Council carried out outside Mrs Y’s home. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council which has caused Mrs Y a significant injustice which has not already been remedied.

Sheffield City Council (20 000 246)

Statement Upheld Residential care 15-Jan-2021

Summary: Ms B complained the Council failed to involve her as next of kin or take account of her father’s wishes when placing him in a care home. Ms B complained the Council placed her father in an inappropriate placement, delayed meeting with her father to discuss his wishes, delayed completing a deprivation of liberty application, delayed completing a mental capacity assessment, failed to hold a best interests meeting, failed to carry out a safeguarding investigation and delayed completing an assessment when he was ready for discharge from hospital. The Council delayed meeting Ms B’s father and in carrying out a mental capacity assessment and safeguarding investigation. There is no fault in the other parts of the complaint. The Council’s delay is caused Ms B distress and created some uncertainty about whether the outcome would have been different. An apology and payment to Ms B, along with an action plan is satisfactory remedy.