10/09/2024
Extraction retraction orthodontics involves the removal of premolar teeth in teenagers in preparation for braces. The effect of this is to stunt jaw growth, causing the face to literally crash back, narrowing the airway and causing further complications such as sleep apnea. This is a practice that has been going on for decades in the NHS and still continues. Are you aware of this practice and that it has caused injury to many people who have had premolar tooth extractions? Have you ever looking into this as an issue?
06/09/2024
I was able to find 2023 SAR figures on you disclosure log on your website. However, I am writing to request the total number of FOIs and SARs recorded by your organisation for the period April 2023 to June 2024
I would please like you to tell me what the [average] monthly caseload has been for the senior caseworker(s) of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, from September 2023 until August 2024.
05/09/2024
Please give me copies of the agenda and minutes of today’s ARAC meeting. I also repeat my request for copies of any Board meetings after January’s.
I would like a copy of the agenda and minutes of the PHSO Audit and Risk committee meeting to be held on 3rd July 2024. Please email both documents to this email address as soon as they become available.
Further to my latest email I have liaised with our DPO and request that the following documents are released. This is a duel request under DPA and FPOIA. All documents from medical/legal experts that have been used in the decision making process All documents relating to secondary care stays and discharge paperwork relating to care received whilst there. Internal emails relating to the case Timeline of the complaint which we believe may have been out of line with your service model policy and Guidance . All documents/risk assessments completed by the Ombudsman at every stage of the complaint with clear audit trails of events recorded. Risk rating documents As we have challenged the decision documents relating to review of risk ratings , documents relating to advice sought from internal and external legal teams. Documents relating to and explanation as to why there was a period of 12 months when we did not hear from the Ombudsman which is not in line with your service model policy. The audit trail on your Dynamic 365 system which documents all events relating to the complaint. Decision forms relating to the draft and final reports as per service model policy Copies of statement of reason due to the complainant taking longer than 12 month timescale as per policy model.
30/08/2024
Good Morning, it has been pointed out to me that the ICB never respond to final complaint decisions when invited to . Can you say what the figures are for this? Perhaps for the whole of last year?I will need this for my MP and His Lordship. Therefore I would the total number of complaints investigated and the total number of ICB comments which they have made to those complaints. I understand it's a rare event. Yours Sincerely
23/08/2024
Our new Digital, Data and Technology strategy will enable us to become a leading digital ombudsman service and provide a better experience for our users. As a first step towards delivering the strategy, we used feedback from users and improved technology to create a better user experience of the casework decision section on our website, making it more transparent and accessible. We simplified the language and improved both the search function and the way search results are displayed. Will there be direct search functions for the systemic issues you have raised in your reports namely: 1. Avoidable death 2. Sepsis 3. DNA CPR And given the continued concern about maternity care will there be a specific search function for 'maternity' cases?
22/08/2024
I would like to request an internal review Your request: “I would like a copy of any decisions/complaints logged with the PHSO in relation to NHS Sussex or NHS Sussex ICB whether these have been recorded on the PHSO web site or NOT along with the reference number.” Reason for internal review “Case-related information of this nature is exempt under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 as per Section 44(1)(a), because disclosure is prohibited by another enactment. Section 15 of the Health Service Commissioners Act 1993 state that information obtained for the purposes of an investigation shall not be disclosed unless one of three conditions is met. None of which can be met by a request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (see guidance from the Information Commissioner’s Office).” I am happy to accept anonymous data inline with document provided NHS Organisations Table 2022-23.pdf (ombudsman.org.uk) but I would like clarification “We publish data relating to organisations we investigate” which is not the case not all complaints investigated are published can you confirm this? I requested complaints related to NHS Sussex or NHS Sussex ICB but you have referred to NHS Sussex Health and Care this is not the same organisation https://www.sussex.ics.nhs.uk/about-sussex-health-and-care/who-we-are/ “The four statutory partners in the Sussex Health and Care system are: • NHS Sussex • East Sussex County Council • West Sussex County Council • Brighton & Hove City Council” NHS Sussex Health and Care is a partnership group which NHS Sussex is a part so see table below from the NHS Organisations Table 2022-23.pdf (ombudsman.org.uk) The most recent table on our website is for the year 2022-23. NHS Sussex ICB is Organisation Complaints Received Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust 18 Sussex MSK Partnership East 1 Sussex MSK Partnership Central - Brighton 1 NHS Sussex Health and Care 23 Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust 100 East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust 76 Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust 33 University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust 144 As there are 23 complaints received then the complaints against NHS Sussex should be split out from these complaints and the numbers provided As this is anonymous data then the number of these complaints which ended up on the PHSO website could also be provided for NHS Sussex along with a total for those that were not added to the web site along with the reason why not on the website e.g. error by the PHSO in carrying out the investigation etc which would not breach section 44 (1) or 15 Provide a similar listing for the complaints for 2024 (7 months), also indicating if on the web site this should not be an issue as there were only 23 for the whole of 2022-23 Doing a search on the PHSO webisite https://decisions.ombudsman.org.uk/search?jurisdiction=health for NHS Sussex Health and Care, Your search returned 49 results. None related to NHS Sussex Health and Care so were any of the 23 complaints logged on the PHSO website?
16/08/2024
Can you please send me a copy of your service standards
14/08/2024
I would appreciate statistics on the outcome of patient complaints handled by your organisation. Specifically, what percentage of complaints have been upheld?
Please may I have the numbers of complaints you have received each year for the past 3 years about the CQC only. May I also have a list of possible outcomes to a CQC complaint? And the outcome numbers of those complaints of the past three years to each possible outcome.
13/08/2024
I would like to make a FOI request for Hospital and GP complaints please. I would like to know: 1. How many Hospital complaints you have received since 1st January 2020 to 31st July 2024 2. How many of these complaints have been upheld 3. How many GP complaints you have received since 1st January 2020 to 31st July 2024 4. How many of these complaints have been upheld
I am writing to make a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. I would like to request a copy of all active templates for letters and emails used by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO). This request should include, but is not limited to, templates used by PHSO caseworkers when they uphold complaints made by members of the public against authorities or in other relevant situations. Although these templates are going to be used for investigative purposes, due to the fact that these templates do not pertain to any investigation carried out, they are not protected under the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 or the Health Service Commissioners Act 1993. Please note, we are not asking for personal information. Should any personal information be contained in these templates, it may be redacted so that Section 40 does not apply. Additionally, we are not requesting the creation of new information. Should any of this information be exempt from release, we are entitled to be clearly notified of the citations of exemption being used with a brief overview of the perceived justification for its use in this instance. If you cite Section 12 (Exceeds cost limit), we are entitled to a clear justification of why the request exceeds the cost limit, including a reasonable breakdown of how the cost has been calculated. In this scenario, under Section 16, we are entitled to advice and assistance on how to narrow the request so that it falls under the cost limit. To support this request, we provide the following justifications: 1. These templates are standard communications tools and do not contain sensitive operational information. 2. Disclosure supports transparency and public trust, outweighing potential harm. 3. The templates requested are for public service communications, not commercial enterprises. 4. Ensuring transparency in public service practices promotes public trust and accountability. Please provide the information in electronic format. If there are any issues with fulfilling this request, please inform me of any necessary clarifications or modifications that could help in processing my request.
09/08/2024
Please can you ask the Parliamentary Ombudsman what is the criteria being used not to review a case. Eg only where someone has died for example? If they are so constrained it must mean many cases of maladministration in the NHS is going unanswered. Can you find out who funds the Parliamentary Ombudsman for the NHS and ask why they are not sufficiently funded.
05/08/2024
PHSO Access to CUSTOMER ENQUIRIES - CALL BLOCKING As I understand it, uninhibited access to PHSO Customer Services is a right to citizens in the pursuance of complaint dissatisfaction with all Government (taxpayer) Services, either for enquiry or action on complaints against any Government Service. Please correct my understanding if it affects responses to this request. I wish to enquire of PHSO Policy and practical execution in the matters of call-blocking. In the context of my questions, I use the word Customer to mean any PHSO current customer or ex-customer or potential service-user or ex-service-user. PHSO Policy: • What is PHSO Policy on incoming call blocking? With the PHSO call-blocking process: • What is the PHSO’s written instruction to staff in this? including... • The steps that operate in call-blocking as an end-to-end process? • What PHSO Ofice ultimately decides who will be blocked - i.e. what authority sanctions it? As of this month: • How many phone numbers are currently blocked including identified UK ‘scam’ calls? • How many of these are identified UK ‘scam’ call numbers? With the blocked Customers: • How are they informed they may be blocked? • What warnings are they given before being advised of potential blocking? • Are they informed of the reason for being blocked? • Are they given opportunity to respond in their defence? • Are they informed of potential block duration? • Are they informed of potential block appeal or ‘review’ time? • Are blocked Customers advised how to contact PHSO e.g. for appeal or review? With the PHSO: • What is the PHSO blocking appeal or review process? • What is the typical blocking expiry (block-lifting) duration? • Is there an automatic process for the above and removal of blocking? Recording and Documentation: • What records of Whom, Why and When, a customer is blocked and e.g. ‘tagged’ when a review is due? • Are those records associated with / filed with / attached to casework, OR... • Are those records filed under (e.g.) ‘Blocked calls’ for PHSO admin / monitoring duties? • Is the customer able to request copy of their ‘personal information’ in these matters? • Is a reasoned account on call-blocking included in PHSO Annual Report for scrutiny?
Please could you let me know the complaint structure in the NHS? If someone wants to complain about the senior management at a NHS hospital to the NHS, what is the procedure? (apart from the internal PALS office). The CEO of the NHS hospital is a qualified medical doctor. Who appoints the CEO of a NHS hospital? Who is responsible for the behaviour of the CEO of a NHS hospital? Which government body is responsible? (The Prime Minister? The health Secretary? NHS England? Your local MP?)
02/08/2024
Following the media coverage today, 26th July 2024 that the Care Quality Commission is not fit for purpose (Wes Streeting, Health Secretary), I wish to make a Freedom of Information Request concerning my complaint handler. • How many years has she had in her role, post probation training? • What training did she undertake to make her suitable and competent for handling neurosurgical cases? • What refresher training has she undertaken? • What is her experience in handling complex neurosurgical cases? • What mental health training has she undertaken to enable her to recognise when a neurosurgical case complaint involves a brain injury such as Complex PTSD? • Has she ever communicated with neurosurgical clinical staff in an actual neurosurgical hospital department, face-to-face or by phone? Has she done this on her own? • Has she ever visited a hospital in real life?
29/07/2024
Please provide under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 the process for making a complaint against Ofgem for failure to regulate for breaches of Standard Licence Conditions for Energy Supply when they are the specific agency created for the purpose of enforcement.