Mr and Mrs C complained about the care that Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council provided to them and the relative they were caring for. Mrs C also complained about the Council’s decisions regarding care home fees. Mr and Mrs C described that the Council had not adequately dealt with their complaint or learned from their experiences.
The Ombudsman decided that there had been a lack of urgency in the Council’s response to the family’s increasing needs and pressures. Legally required assessments and processes were not completed and communication with the family was not always sufficiently clear. The Ombudsman also decided that the Council’s decisions about care home fees were properly made. The Ombudsman decided to settle the complaint without an investigation.
The Ombudsman sought and gained the Council’s agreement to, within one month, remind all relevant staff of their statutory responsibilities and provide feedback to those involved in this case. It also agreed to write to Mr and Mrs C to apologise and provide an update on the actions that it had previously said it would take to address the learning from the complaint. In addition, the Council agreed to issue guidance to staff on reasonable adjustments within two months, and information about Continuing Healthcare and complaints handling within three months. The Council also committed to ensuring that all relevant staff have received carer awareness training within six months and cases would be audited to ensure compliance within nine months.