Health : A GP Practice in the area of Swansea Bay University Health Board

Mrs A complained that a GP Practice in the area of Swansea Bay University Health Board had failed to respond to her complaint, made to the Practice in September 2022, about the care provided to her late mother.

The Ombudsman found that there had been an unacceptable delay in the Practice responding to Mrs A’s complaint and it had failed to provide Mrs A with regular and/or meaningful updates, causing frustration to her. The Ombudsman contacted the Practice and it agreed to complete the following actions within 8 weeks: apologise to Mrs A for the delay in responding to her complaint, explain the reasons for the delay, issue the complaint response and pay Mrs A £250 in recognition of the significant delay, the failure to provide meaningful updates and for the time and trouble in making her complaint.

The Ombudsman accepted the above actions as an alternative to a formal investigation.