The local government Ombudsman has issued a rare 'adverse findings notice' against a care provider in Leicester after he refused to comply with a remedy following an investigation.
Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman Paul Najsarek has sent details of the case to the regulator, the Care Quality Commission.
The care provider said he would not pay £500 to a family for the distress he had caused because he had ceased trading.
It followed an investigation by the Ombudsman into the family’s complaint about their father’s stay in the St Bennett’s Care home in the city.
In November 2022 the Ombudsman found owner and sole trader, Mr Mapara, had disposed of the father’s lamp without telling the father or son.
He failed to keep proper records of how the father wanted to communicate with the son and did not involve an independent person to investigate the family’s complaint, communicating instead directly with the family.
The Ombudsman upheld parts of the family’s complaint and asked Mr Mapara to pay the family £500 for the distress caused.
Mr Najsarek said: 'The former owner of the home, Mr Mapara has told me he should not have to pay the remedy we have recommended because his company has ceased trading.
'I disagree – Mr Mapara was acting as a sole trader and therefore still has an obligation to provide the remedy we have recommended.
'I am disappointed with Mr Mapara’s response to my investigation and have shared details of my findings with the care regulator, the Care Quality Commission.'
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