Elderly ‘suffer in silence’ under NHS care, says watchdog – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 7th, 2014 in care homes, complaints, elderly, hospitals, news, ombudsmen by sally

‘Dame Julie Mellor, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, said elderly can be too frightened or polite to complain about inadequate care.’

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Daily Telegraph, 7th April 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

High Court reduces Ombudsman-awarded compensation due to local authority “financial pressures” – OUT-LAW.com

‘A recent High Court decision risks “emasculating” the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO), an expert has said, after the judge allowed the authority to pay only one fifth of the compensation awarded against it.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 1st April 2014

Source: www.out-law.com

Caterers who refuse to work on same-sex weddings face prosecution – Daily Telegraph

‘Chauffeurs, photographers and caterers could have to pay thousands of pounds in damages if they refuse to provide services to a same-sex wedding.’

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Daily Telegraph, 30th March 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Disabled girl ‘lost in the system’ by Birmingham City Council for four years – BBC News

Posted March 20th, 2014 in children, disabled persons, news, ombudsmen, reports, social services by tracey

‘Birmingham City Council “singularly failed” a disabled child “lost in the system” for more than four years, the Local Government Ombudsman has ruled.’

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BBC News, 20th March 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Paddy Power Oscar Pistorius ‘money back if he walks’ ad broke rules and brought UK advertising into disrepute, ASA finds – The Independent

‘A Paddy Power advert that offered a “money back if he walks” guarantee for betting on the Oscar Pistorius murder trial broke rules and brought the UK’s advertising industry into disrepute, the regulator has found.’

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The Independent, 19th March 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Privacy groups raise complaint with ICO over cloud-stored data from hospital records – OUT-LAW.com

Posted March 19th, 2014 in data protection, hospitals, internet, medical records, news, ombudsmen, privacy by tracey

‘The UK’s Information Commissioner Office (ICO) has been asked to investigate whether privacy rules were breached when data collected from hospitals was uploaded to cloud servers operated by Google.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 18th March 2014

Source: www.out-law.com

Armed forces bullying watchdog announced – BBC News

Posted March 17th, 2014 in armed forces, bullying, complaints, news, ombudsmen by tracey

‘A new watchdog is to be created to investigate the way bullying and
abuse cases are dealt with in the armed forces, the defence secretary
has said.’

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BBC News, 14th March 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

One in 20 prisoners are gipsies, says official report – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 12th, 2014 in news, ombudsmen, prisons, statistics, travellers, young offenders by tracey

‘ Gipsies make up one in 20 of the jail population, according to a new report by an official watchdog. Research by Nick Hardwick, the Chief Inspector of Prisons, found gipsies and travellers were “significantly over represented” in adult prisons in England and Wales, making up 5 per cent of the total.’

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Daily Telegraph, 11th March 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Quarter of payday lenders may quit under tougher rules – BBC News

‘One quarter of payday lenders may pull out of the market under pressure from new regulations. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is to investigate the way they treat borrowers struggling to repay loans. It has said the review will be one of its first actions when it takes over regulation of the consumer credit sector on 1 April.’

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BBC News. 12th March 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

E-cigarette ad banned over health claims – The Guardian

Posted March 12th, 2014 in advertising, health & safety, news, ombudsmen, smoking by tracey

‘An advert for an e-cigarette brand has been banned after the advertising watchdog ruled that claims including that it was “the healthier smoking alternative” could not be substantiated.’

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The Guardian, 12th March 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Ex-miner “deprived of his liberty” when prevented from dying at home – Local Government Lawyer

Posted March 4th, 2014 in freedom of movement, health, local government, news, ombudsmen, reports by sally

‘A 77-year-old former miner was deprived of his liberty – without proper account of the law being taken – when he was prevented from going home to die beside his brother, a joint report from two Ombudsmen has found.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 4th March 2014

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Ukip must be treated like any major party, Ofcom rules – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 4th, 2014 in elections, media, news, ombudsmen, political parties by sally

‘Nigel Farage’s party must be given the same coverage as the Tories, Labour and the Liberal Democrats in the run up to the European elections, the regulator says.’

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Daily Telegraph, 4th March 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Leveson inquiry: The spy, the judge and the ‘cover-up’ – The Independent

Posted March 3rd, 2014 in complaints, corruption, inquiries, interception, judges, media, news, ombudsmen, police, privacy by sally

‘Sir Brian Leveson “pulled his punches” over evidence of “serious police corruption at the very highest level” because it was “too hot to handle”, according to a complaint that has been lodged with the judicial watchdog by a News of the World hacking victim.’

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The Independent, 2nd March 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Ombudsman report into Joshua Titcombe death finds pain was inflicted by ‘inappropriate emails’ – The Independent

Posted February 28th, 2014 in birth, complaints, electronic mail, hospitals, midwives, news, ombudsmen by sally

‘“Inappropriate” emails sent by staff at an NHS trust caused offence and distress to a family who had already lost their baby because of avoidable lapses in his care, the health service ombudsman has said.’

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The Independent, 27th February 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Prisoners paid compensation for socks and stereos – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 26th, 2014 in compensation, complaints, news, ombudsmen, prisons, statistics by tracey

‘ Taxpayers’ money is being wasted on paying prisoners compensation for damaged stereos and missing socks, a watchdog has revealed. Jail staff need to take greater care of prisoners’ property to avoid complaints being made and redress having to be paid to inmates, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) said.’

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Daily Telegraph, 25th February 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Stafford Hospital: Hunt to decide whether to dissolve NHS Trust – BBC News

Posted February 26th, 2014 in administrators, hospitals, inquiries, news, ombudsmen, standards by tracey

‘Managers at scandal-hit Stafford Hospital are waiting to hear whether Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt will dissolve the trust that runs it. Administrators want Mr Hunt to scrap the Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust and move services to other hospitals. Local people are planning a legal challenge if that decision is taken.’

Full story

BBC News, 26th February 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Hyde Park bomb: NI Police Federation ‘appalled at grubby deal’ – BBC News

‘The chairman of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland has said he is appalled at the government’s “grubby secret deal” on IRA “on-the-run” cases. He was speaking after the case of a man accused of the IRA Hyde Park bomb collapsed following what victims’ families called “a monumental blunder”. Donegal man John Downey denied killing four soldiers in the 1982 bomb. The case collapsed because government officials mistakenly told him he was no longer a wanted man.’

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BBC News, 26th February 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Clark and another v In Focus Asset Management & Tax Solutions Ltd (Financial Ombudsman Service intervening) – WLR Daily

Clark and another v In Focus Asset Management & Tax Solutions Ltd (Financial Ombudsman Service intervening) [2014] EWCA Civ 118; [2014] WLR (D) 76

‘The doctrine of res judicata precluded a complainant who had accepted an award made by the Financial Ombudsman Service from starting legal proceedings to pursue complaints which had already been submitted to the ombudsman service and which the ombudsman had decided. Further, section 228(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 did not exclude the operation of res judicata.’

WLR Daily, 14th February 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

OFT warns universities about sanctions on students in debt – The Guardian

Posted February 19th, 2014 in consumer protection, debts, disciplinary procedures, news, ombudsmen, universities by sally

‘The Office of Fair Trading has written to more than 170 universities and other higher education groups warning that the widespread practice of stopping students graduating or continuing with their course if they owe money over issues such as late library books or childcare services could breach consumer laws.’

Full story

The Guardian, 18th February 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Ofcom order requiring BSkyB to sell wholesale access to sports channels reinstated by Court of Appeal – OUT-LAW.com

Posted February 19th, 2014 in appeals, competition, media, news, ombudsmen, sport by sally

‘The Court of Appeal has reinstated an order made by telecoms regulator Ofcom which required pay-TV operator BSkyB (Sky) to sell wholesale access to its sports channels to rival providers at a set price.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 18th February 2014

Source: www.out-law.com