Miss A complained to Swansea Bay University Health Board (“the Health Board”) about its handling of an alleged assault and recent threats of assault from a fellow member of a support group for autistic adults run by the Health Board.
The Ombudsman found that the handling of the alleged assault which occurred in 2018 was out of time for her consideration. However, the Ombudsman did not agree with the Health Board’s assertion that it could not control threats made ‘outside of the Health Board’ as it was clear that the threats related directly to the group’s activities and referenced the group directly.
The Ombudsman sought and gained the Health Board’s agreement to, within 20 working days, reconsider the issue relating to the threatening messages sent to Miss A and the implications this may have on the group, and provide a full written response to her addressing her concerns about the threatening messages.