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Selected Investigations Completed October 1997 - March 1998 > Part I, Case no. E.371/97-98
Matters considered: The way a convener considered a request for an independent review (IR)
Complaint against: Eastbourne Hospitals NHS Trust
Summary of case
In January 1997 Mr X complained about various aspects of the care received by his father while he was an inpatient in Eastbourne District Hospital in December 1996. The chief executive of the Trust replied; but Mr X remained dissatisfied, and in March 1997 requested an IR. The Trust’s convener offered to meet Mr X and his father but Mr X declined and again requested an IR. In May the convener refused that request.
Findings
The Ombudsman found that the convener had made inappropriate remarks about the complainant’s father in a letter to the lay chairman who was advising him. As well as offering to meet the complainant, the convener sought additional information and thus went too far towards trying to resolve the complaint himself. The Ombudsman was concerned to find that this had happened within weeks of the Trust’s telling him, after a previous complaint, that they would remind conveners to comply with the national guidance on the complaints procedure.
Remedy
The Trust apologised and agreed to remind their conveners that they should not investigate complaints or jeopardise their impartiality. They agreed that the request for an IR would be considered again by a different convener.
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