Decision Report 201700024

Summary

Mr C's father (Mr A) had been receiving a care package from the council's Extended Community Care Team (ECCT) when an assessment resulted in his recognised care needs changing. Mr C attempted to source a new suitable care package but struggled to do this and asked the council to assist him. Mr C rejected the care package the council offered. A few days later, he was offered the same care package and refused it again. Mr C was then also told that the ECCT package would have to be reduced and, the following day, that it would be removed altogether.

Mr C complained to the council that they had used the reduction and withdrawal of the ECCT package to force him to accept the care package he had previously rejected. The council stated that the EECT package was only to be used for a limited period of time and indicated that Mr C had been advised of this reduction and withdrawal prior to refusing the other care package. However, the council recognised that this information had not been made clear to Mr C at the outset and took action to prevent this happening again in the future. Mr C remained unhappy and brought his complaint to us.

We found no evidence that the council had attempted to force Mr C to accept the care package. Therefore, we did not uphold the complaint.