Our latest Case Digest features a number of investigations into complaints about care homes. It highlights the importance of good complaints handling and provides some key messages for the families of those in care.
This investigation found that the system for communicating with patients on healthcare waiting lists is in ‘disarray’, and concluded that significant and repeated failures across the system amounted to ‘systemic maladministration’.
It urged the Department of Health to work with Health Trusts, GPs and others to address the failings.
The Driver & Vehicle Agency failed to manage a complainant's medical assessment in a timely manner, thereby increasing the risk that his licence would expire while his renewal was being processed. The Ombudsman also found that the DVA failed to communicate with the Occupational Health Service to ensure the application was treated as a priority.