A man said his autistic son’s health deteriorated because the Western Trust did not properly address his needs. Our investigation found that the Trust failed to provide a reasonable level of care and support to both the boy and his family over a 21-year period.
Shared decision making in a healthcare setting is about involving patients and their families in decisions about their clinical care.
Not only does this foster a more compassionate, effective healthcare service, it is vital for patient safety. By listening to and working with patients, a service is more likely to understand and meet their needs, and be responsive when safety problems are raised.
We often receive complaints from patients and their families that they should have had more involvement in their care. Click on the headings to read summaries of some of our investigations into these complaints:
A man said the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs failed to investigate his reports of unlawful activity by a waste management company.
A number of recommendations have been made by the Ombudsman after an investigation revealed that unclear guidance to applicants led to confusion over eligibility of Single Farm Payments.