Home > Publications > Selected cases— Parliamentary> Selected Cases and Summaries of Completed Investigations: April 2001 to September 2001 > Case No. C.1796/01
Selected Cases and Summaries of Completed Investigations
PCA 6th Report – Session 2001-2002
Chapter 2
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Handling of a consultation process relating to proposed changes to the role of a hospital
Mr D complained on behalf of the Save Our Cottage Hospital Action Group that the regional office of the Department of Health had failed to identify flaws in the consultative process undertaken by the health authority into proposed changes to the role of the local war memorial cottage hospital. He further complained that the regional office had provided the Secretary of State for Health with incomplete and inaccurate information on the proposed closure of the hospital, and that in consequence the Secretary of State had assented to a flawed consultative process and agreed to close the hospital. The Ombudsman identified some shortcomings on the part of the regional office in their handling of the matter, but was satisfied that those shortcomings had not prevented the local community from having the opportunity to put forward to Ministers their concerns about the proposals. The Ombudsman was accordingly satisfied that, in making his discretionary decision on the future of the hospital, the Minister had been in possession of the relevant facts surrounding the issue. The Permanent Secretary apologised for the shortcomings identified and gave an undertaking that staff would be reminded of the need to adhere to the correct procedures in respect both of the consultation process and the handling of complaints.
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