The Ombudsman's final decision
Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about her father’s care home not acting on her request to amend his newspaper order. This is because the remaining injustice complained about is not significant enough to justify an investigation.
The complaint
The complainant, whom I shall call Miss X, complains the care home where her father lives, in a Council arranged placement, failed to act on her email asking it to amend his newspaper order. Miss X complains she is just over £46 out of pocket as a result.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse effect on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We may decide not to start an investigation if the tests set out in our Assessment Code are not met. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended) We do not start an investigation if we decide any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6))
How I considered this complaint
I considered information provided by the complainant.
I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
In June 2021, Miss X sent an email to her father’s care home asking it to amend his newspaper order.
In November 2021, Miss X realised the care home had not changed the order as it had missed her email.
Miss X complained to the care home because it meant she paid £84 more for her father’s newspapers between June and November.
In response to Miss X’s complaint, the care home paid her father’s most recent newspaper bill. Miss X says she is still just over £46 out of pocket.
Final decision
We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because the remaining injustice is not significant enough to warrant an investigation by this office and the use of limited public resources to do so.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman