Findings published this month following investigation by the Ombudsman highlight the importance of good communication, and record keeping. These are particularly important in a health care setting where clear communication and records are needed to show clear reasons for decision making
This month we have published decision reports from 22 complaints that were investigated by the Ombudsman. 17 of these were about the Health sector, four about Local Government, and one about a Housing Association. The outcome of these 22 complaints were
- Fully upheld: 8
- Some upheld: 6
- Not upheld: 8
The Ombudsman has also this month published two public reports, which give details of two investigations which made significant finding. She has published these so that others can learn from the findings to prevent similar outcomes in the future. Commenting on one of the cases, the Ombudsman said:
"At the heart of this case is a person who sadly died. My thoughts are with the family, but
equally I recognise the devastating impact of events on all involved. It’s important that we learn from tragic cases such as this to prevent similar failings in the future. My office is here to promote and monitor good complaints handling and provide guidance and support to GP Practices and the wider NHS – just ask if you need help”.
Recommendations made to public bodies
We made 37 recommendations to public bodies. Key themes include the need for clear and consistent communication between public sector organisations and the people they serve.
This is vital for many reasons. People need to know exactly what is happening during their interaction with a service and during a complaint investigation. People also need to know what their rights are if things go wrong and how they can feed back on what went well. It’s important that people understand clearly the reasons for decisions taken by public bodies.
Our findings this month also highlight the importance of following best practice guidance or processes. This is particularly important in a health care setting where these exist to ensure a consistent, good standard of care for patients. If there is a good reason why they weren’t followed it is a good idea to record why and explain this to people.
Finally, our findings show that good record keeping is critical. Good records enable organisations to deliver consistent services, explain their decisions, respond to feedback and complaints, and engage in reflective learning. Being able to give reasons for decisions helps build trust and confidence, and supports transparency in public services.
All our published decision reports can be read in full on our website.