The Local Government Ombudsman has stepped in to name and shame a care provider that got paid twice for an elderly woman’s care but refused to pay the money back.
East Sussex care provider, Rooks (Care Homes) Ltd, ignored the ombudsman’s requests to respond to complaints or reimburse the family.
The case relates to the care of a resident of Green Hill Care Home in Crowhurst, which the company owns, whose son paid for her care while waiting for East Sussex County Council to process an application for help with the fees.
The local authority paid the care fees, backdated to the date of the man’s request, and the care home got paid twice as a result.
Local Government Ombudsman, Dr Jane Martin, said: ‘It is unacceptable for a regulated body like Rooks (Care Homes) Ltd to refuse to engage with the statutory complaints system. I hope they will reconsider their position, apologise and reimburse this woman’s estate with the money that it rightfully deserves.
‘Fortunately cases like this are very rare, and this is only the second time I have had to issue such a notice about a private provider, but I am highlighting this investigation so that people are made aware of the care home’s actions and make informed decisions about care for themselves or their loved ones.
‘The public has a right, when choosing their care services, to know how those services respond to complaints. That is why earlier this year we published for the first time the complaints records for all social care providers in England. We also publish details of all our decisions on our website. By making this information available it will help people who use social care services to make more informed choices.’
She has called on the company to apologise to the family and reimburse the woman’s estate for £4,403.
Dr Martin said the case had now been reported to the Care Quality Commission for it to decide whether further action is required.
