STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

Too many, often bereaved relatives, are left with no other choice but to take their issues to the ombudsman because trusts fail to deal with them locally, it said. Today a report containing investigations dealt with in October and Novermber last year showcases the wide range of cases the Ombudsman service investigates about the NHS in England and other government departments.

One case a family who had no choice but to place a vulnerable man with dementia in private care over Christmas, after he was unsafely discharged from A&E on Christmas Day. One hospital trust gave no assurance that errors that led to a patient with dementia being left on a trolley in A&E for more than 33 hours followed by an assessment unit for 42 hours would not happen again.