This month we published decision reports from 20 complaints investigated by the Ombudsman. Thirteen of these were about health services, six about local government and one about a water provider. The outcome of these 20 complaints were
- Fully upheld: 12
- Some upheld: 5
- Not upheld: 1
- Resolved: 2
We made 61 recommendations to public bodies.
Resolving a complaint
This month, we closed two cases as resolved. These are examples of cases where positive outcomes can be achieved for the complainant without the need for a long or detailed investigation.
We actively seek opportunities to resolve complaints at all stages of our process.
Resolution improves customer experience by providing redress more quickly and helps to rebuild relationships with public bodies.
In one case, a complainant told us they wanted a backdated kinship care allowance as they were the kinship carer for their grandchild. There had been some confusion over which authority was responsible for managing this, as the grandchild had moved from a different area.
When we opened our investigation, we contacted the local authority and listed the outcomes the complainant was seeking. They agreed to award a backdated payment of over £17,000, apologise to the complainant and update their kinship care policy and procedure as a result of learning from this case.
This is a significant outcome for the complainant, and we welcome the local authority’s commitment to resolution and willingness to engage in reflective learning.
Our published decision reports can be found on our website.
Resources
-
While we do not award compensation, we can recommend redress where a financial loss has occurred. However, such circumstances are often limited.
-
Good practice guidance: alternative complaint resolution approaches
Check out our guidance for examples of when an investigation may not always be the best option.