NIPSO Individual Decisions
457 published decisions from the NI Public Services Ombudsman (Jul 2000–Mar 2026). The Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman investigates complaints about NI government departments, agencies, councils, and public bodies. Source: nipso.org.uk.
457
Total Decisions
192
Investigated
139
Upheld
72%
Upheld (of investigated)
Showing 45 results matching "Western Health and Social Care Trust"
Western Health and Social Care Trust (NIPSO-202400652)
Health & Social Care
Not Upheld
Clinicians in the Western Trust were correct to conclude that a patient did not display signs of autism. However, our investigation found that the Trust’s social workers should have visited her at home more often.
Western Health and Social Care Trust (NIPSO-202001889)
Health & Social Care
Upheld
We found failings in the way the Trust investigated a man's concerns about how his father was treated in a care home.
Western Health and Social Care Trust (NIPSO-202004744)
Health & Social Care
Not Upheld
A woman complained that her late sister should have received better care on the night she was admitted to hospital. We found that, for the most part, her treatment was appropriate.
Western Health and Social Care Trust (NIPSO-202004078)
Health & Social Care
Upheld
The Western Trust’s failure to give a patient an MRI test caused her to experience prolonged pain and unnecessarily delayed treatment of her endometriosis.
Western Health and Social Care Trust (NIPSO-202005245)
Health & Social Care
Not Upheld
A woman complained that doctors did not do enough to monitor and investigate her father’s condition prior to his death.
Western Health and Social Care Trust (NIPSO-202004541)
Health & Social Care
Upheld
A woman believed that the Western Trust should not have left it to her family to arrange palliative care for her elderly mother.
Western Health and Social Care Trust (NIPSO-202003606)
Health & Social Care
Upheld
The Northern Trust should have told a patient and his family that he would not be resuscitated if his heart or breathing stopped.
Western Health and Social Care Trust (NIPSO-202004738)
Health & Social Care
Not Upheld
A patient complained he was uncomfortable after he was fitted with a catheter following surgery. We found no failings in his care and treatment.
Western Health and Social Care Trust (NIPSO-202004159)
Health & Social Care
Upheld
The Western Trust didn’t communicate properly with a woman during its investigation into the death of her husband.
Western Health and Social Care Trust (NIPSO-202005550)
Health & Social Care
Upheld
Failings by a Trust’s social care team meant a complainant believed it did not take his concerns seriously.
Western Health and Social Care Trust (NIPSO-202001626)
Health & Social Care
Upheld
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.
Western Health and Social Care Trust (NIPSO-202004474)
Health & Social Care
Not Upheld
A patient complained that the Trust should have changed her waiting list status to ‘urgent’ following a request by her GP. We did not uphold the complaint.
Western Health and Social Care TrustNorthern Ireland Hospice (NIPSO-202001016)
Health & Social Care
Not Upheld
The daughter of an elderly cancer patient complained that her syringe driver was removed in the days before her death, causing her to experience unnecessary pain.
Western Health and Social Care Trust (NIPSO-202003373)
Health & Social Care
Upheld
A Health Trust’s failure to carry out tests on a man with an undiagnosed heart condition left his family with unanswered questions following his death.
Western Health and Social Care Trust (NIPSO-202000387)
Health & Social Care
Upheld
The Western Trust approved two special chairs for an autistic child to use in school without properly assessing his needs. The Trust should also have given the school clearer instructions on how the chairs were to be used.
Western Health and Social Care Trust (NIPSO-202001546)
Health & Social Care
Upheld
A woman complained about the treatment her late mother received in Altnagelvin Hospital following a fall.
Western Health and Social Care Trust (NIPSO-202002827)
Health & Social Care
Not Upheld
A woman questioned why it took so long for her father to receive surgery in Altnagelvin Area Hospital. She also claimed that poor communication between staff contributed to his untimely death.
Western Health and Social Care Trust (NIPSO-202003022)
Health & Social Care
Upheld
A woman raised concerns with the Western Trust about how her late mother was treated in a care home. We found significant failings in the way the Trust investigated her complaint.
Western Health and Social Care Trust (NIPSO-202003412)
Health & Social Care
Upheld
We upheld a complaint from a woman who said she did not give her consent to a surgical procedure. We also found the Trust did not follow the right procedure when it decided the case did not meet the threshold for a Serious Adverse Incident investigation.
Western Health and Social Care Trust (NIPSO-202002249)
Health & Social Care
Upheld
A woman complained about the care her late husband received in hospital during his treatment for cancer.
Western Health and Social Care Trust (NIPSO-202001646)
Health & Social Care
Upheld
A man was admitted to Altnagelvin Hospital with severe abdominal pain. Our investigation found that a series of delays in his care and treatment, and a failure to manage his sepsis, contributed to his death.
Western Health and Social Care Trust (NIPSO-202003016)
Health & Social Care
Upheld
A patient in the Western Trust said her hip surgery caused her ongoing pain, leaving her with anxiety and depression. We found the Trust correctly performed the surgery and gave the patient appropriate post-operative care, but that it should have checked for signs of infection after a first operation failed.
Western Health and Social Care Trust (NIPSO-202003197)
Health & Social Care
Upheld
A woman complained about the treatment her father received in Altnagelvin Hospital, including that he should not have had a catheter inserted while he was dying. We upheld parts of the complaint.
Western Health and Social Care Trust (NIPSO-202002039)
Health & Social Care
Upheld
A teenage boy waited 18 months to see a consultant after he was diagnosed with arthritis and ruptured ligaments. We asked the Trust to apologise for the failures which caused the delay.
Western Health and Social Care Trust (NIPSO-202002121)
Health & Social Care
Upheld
The Western Health Trust should have done more to ease a patient's discomfort during an endoscopy procedure. We asked it to apologise, and to remind clinical staff of the importance of following guidelines on pain management, obtaining consent, and on communicating with patients and their families.
Upheld
139
NIPSO found fault with the organisation complained about.
Not Upheld
53
Complaint investigated but no fault found.
Closed / Other
265
Closed after initial enquiries, resolved early, or withdrawn.
Most complained-about:
Belfast Health and Social Care Trust (96), Northern Health and Social Care Trust (48), Western Health and Social Care Trust (44), South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust (41), GP (30).
Investigated Decisions Over Time
Excludes 265 closed after initial enquiries. Quarterly, by outcome.
Decisions by Sector
Sectors by Upheld Rate
Which sectors have the highest upheld rate?
| Sector | Decisions | Upheld | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health & Social Care | 336 | 112 | 33% |
| Central Government | 33 | 6 | 18% |
| Local Government | 31 | 9 | 29% |
| Education | 28 | 5 | 18% |
| Housing | 21 | 7 | 33% |
| Health | 2 | 0 | 0% |
Organisation Accountability
Top 20 organisations by upheld rate (minimum 5 investigated decisions). Based on 192 investigated decisions (excludes 265 closed after initial enquiries). Benchmark: 72% average across all investigated decisions. Sparklines show annual decision volumes 2000–2026.
| # | Organisation | Trend | Investigated | Upheld | Not Upheld | Upheld Rate | vs avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northern Ireland Housing Executive | 7 | 6 | 1 | 86% | +14pp | |
| 2 | Northern Health and Social Care Trust | 30 | 24 | 6 | 80% | +8pp | |
| 3 | Western Health and Social Care Trust | 26 | 20 | 6 | 77% | +5pp | |
| 4 | Southern Health and Social Care Trust | 13 | 10 | 3 | 77% | +5pp | |
| 5 | Belfast Health and Social Care Trust | 44 | 31 | 13 | 70% | -2pp | |
| 6 | South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust | 14 | 9 | 5 | 64% | -8pp | |
| 7 | GP | 23 | 13 | 10 | 57% | -15pp | |
| All-organisation benchmark | 72% | — | |||||