Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about a care provider refusing to provide a copy of her mother in law’s contract and care invoices. This is because there is another body better placed to consider the complaint.

The complaint

1. Mrs X complains a care provider has refused to provide a copy of her mother-in-law’s contract and care invoices.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse impact on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We do not start an investigation if we decide there is another body better placed to consider this complaint. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by the complainant.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. Mrs X asked her mother in law’s care provider to give her a copy of her mother in law’s contract and care invoices.
6. Mrs X said the care provider has refused to provide these.
7. Mrs X’s complaint is about the care provider’s failure to provide personal data as requested. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) can consider complaints about an organisation’s handling of a data request.
8. Therefore, we will not investigate as the ICO is better placed to consider the complaint.

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Final decision

9. We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because there is another body better placed to consider the complaint.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman