The Ombudsman's final decision
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the content of a Safeguarding Adults Report. This is because the complaint is late and there is no good reason Mrs X did not complain to us sooner.
The complaint
Mrs X complained about the outcome of a Safeguarding Adults Review (SAR). She said it did not address the questions she submitted and disagrees with its content. She said it caused her family distress. She wants the SAR response to be amended.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
We cannot investigate late complaints unless we decide there are good reasons. Late complaints are when someone takes more than 12 months to complain to us about something a council provider has done. (Local Government Act 1974, sections 26B and 34D, as amended)
How I considered this complaint
I considered information provided by the complainant.
I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My Assessment
We will not investigate this complaint. Mrs X complains about the outcome of a Safeguarding Adults Review which was completed in March 2024. We expect people to come to us within 12 months of being aware of the matter and Mrs X did not complain to us until April 2026. Therefore, the complaint is late, and I see no good reasons to exercise discretion to investigate it now.
Final Decision
We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because there is no good reason Mrs X did not complaint to us sooner.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman