Oldham Council caused "avoidable distress" to a woman after the death of her mother by failing to communicate with her about a safeguarding enquiry, a report has found.
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) found the council at fault for not informing a woman, identified as Ms X, about concerns raised against her regarding the care of her late mother, Ms Y.
Ms Y, who had care and support needs, died in November 2024 while living in a council-funded care home.
At the time, Ms X and another sibling, Ms M, held power of attorney for Ms Y’s health, welfare, and finances.
In April and May 2024, the council’s funding panel raised safeguarding concerns after Ms X reportedly refused certain medication for Ms Y and declined covert administration.
The panel suggested referring the matter to the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG), but the referral was not made until July 2024, following Ms Y’s hospitalisation.
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A safeguarding strategy meeting later that month noted that both attorneys had now agreed Ms Y’s needs would best be met in placement A, with next steps to await the outcome of the OPG referral and progress the safeguarding enquiry by updating the enquiry officer.
The council’s records incorrectly stated that Ms X had been informed of the safeguarding concerns, however, she only learned of the investigation later in 2024 during a meeting when a social worker referred to it.
The council ended the safeguarding enquiry in January 2025 after Ms Y’s death, however, it did not inform Ms X that the enquiry had ended.
The OPG also could not complete its investigation and told Ms X it had no authority to continue due to Ms Y’s death, adding that had the investigation concluded, there would have been no action taken because it had received no evidence up to the date of Ms Y’s death to substantiate the concerns raised.
Ms X lodged a complaint with the council in January 2025 but received no response until August 2025, after the LGSCO got involved.
The ombudsman found that the council’s failure to notify Ms X and not allowing her to respond to the allegations caused her avoidable distress, time and trouble.
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Although the LGSCO determined the decision to start the safeguarding enquiry was not improper, it found faults in how Oldham Council handled communication, record-keeping, and its complaints process.
As part of the resolution, the council has agreed to pay Ms X £250 as a "symbolic payment" to reflect the "injustice" she faced.
Oldham Council also issued a written reminder to safeguarding officers about the importance of informing individuals of allegations where it is safe and appropriate to do so.
An Oldham Council spokesperson said: “We acknowledge the findings of the LGSCO and accept that in this instance aspects of our service fell below the standards we expect. We recognise that these failings caused avoidable distress, uncertainty and inconvenience to those affected, and we are sorry for the impact this had.
“We would also like to extend our sincere sympathies to the family and loved ones of Ms Y, who has sadly passed away.
“We are committed to learning from this case and have already taken steps to strengthen our safeguarding procedures. We will use the lessons from this investigation to improve our practice and help ensure our services are delivered fairly and consistently.”
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