Introduction

This is internal guidance which we have published for transparency. It may contain links or references to other internal guidance or policies which are not published.

Last updated: April 2024

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) and the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) are committed to working together where there is a strong overlap between health and social care issues. To help us achieve this, amendments made to primary legislation by the Regulatory Reform Order (2007) empower us to share information about individual cases, conduct joint investigations and issue joint decisions on cases. Since April 2015, the Joint Working Team (JWT) managed by LGSCO has handled all joint working (health and social care) complaints.

This manual sets out in one place guidance on key processes and on jurisdictional and policy considerations which have been agreed between the two Ombudsmen. The Joint Working Team will follow LGSCO’s processes except where deviations have been agreed and are set out in this manual. This manual should therefore be read in conjunction with the LGSCO’s other manuals and key guidance documents:

• The Assessment Code
• Assessment manual
• Investigation manual
• Statement of Reasons manual
• Guidance on Remedies
• Compliance manual
• Notes & Analysis manual
• ECHO manual
• Information Security policy and Information Sharing manual
• Quality and Standards manual
• PDR and Service Complaints Manual
• Legal manual
• Casework Policy Forum Guidance Statements
• What is the Ombudsman here for Purpose statement