Mrs G’s daughter has severe epilepsy and a learning disability. Mrs G complained to us about how long it took Hastings and Rother Primary Care Trust to arrange a continuing care package for her daughter. She said she had spent seven years trying to arrange appropriate care. We suggested that Mrs G meet with the Trust’s Chief Executive and, following this, a nurse was appointed to care for her daughter three days a week.

Mrs G was also promised a wheelchair and when this did not materialise, she brought the complaint back to us. She said she had asked the Trust for £3,000 compensation for the seven years of stress and inconvenience. They had offered her £500 in shopping vouchers.

We spoke to the Trust again and alerted them to the outcome of our investigation into a similar complaint. In that case, we recommended £5,000 be paid to a complainant who did not receive the wheelchair they needed. Following this intervention, the Trust agreed to pay Mrs G £3,000 and provided her daughter with a specialist wheelchair.