Mrs A complained about the Health Board’s Mental Health Services and the failure to provide support to her son during a mental health crisis. Mrs A was dissatisfied with the Health Board’s response to her complaint.
The Ombudsman found that the complaint response did not adequately address Mrs. A’s concerns. The Health Board could have, as part of its investigation of her complaint, sought the patient’s consent in order to provide a more detailed response. This caused inconvenience and frustration for Mrs A. The Ombudsman decided to settle the complaint without an investigation.
The Health Board agreed to, within 6weeks, seek consent from the patient and provide Mrs A with a further, more detailed, complaint response addressing all her concerns.