Investigation reports

Our latest Case Digest features a number of investigations into complaints about care homes. It highlights the importance of good complaints handling and provides some key messages for the families of those in care.

Shared decision making in a healthcare setting is about involving patients and their families in decisions about their clinical care.  

Not only does this foster a more compassionate, effective healthcare service, it is vital for patient safety.  By listening to and working with patients, a service is more likely to understand and meet their needs, and be responsive when safety problems are raised.

We often receive complaints from patients and their families that they should have had more involvement in their care. Click on the headings to read summaries of some of our investigations into these complaints:

The mother of a nine-year old boy who tragically passed away following treatment for a rare form of leukaemia complained about the treatment he received in hospital.

A woman complained that hospital delays contributed to her mother’s early death. We found a number of failings in her care and treatment. 

A woman complained that her daughter, who had autism, anxiety and depression, was not cared for properly during her 7 months stay in a children’s home.

A woman contacted her Health Trust to complain about her social worker, who she felt had wrongly accused her of emotional and psychological abuse towards her children.