PHSO Casework Decisions
3,622 published casework decisions from the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (Apr 2021–Mar 2026). PHSO selects a subset of completed investigations for public publication — these 3,622 decisions represent approximately 1.1% of the 321,459 total complaints received across the same period. Source: decisions.ombudsman.org.uk.
3,622
Published Decisions
3,089
Health
533
Parliamentary (Govt)
18%
Upheld / Partly Upheld
Showing 26 results matching "East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust"
East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (P-004918)
NHS in England
Closed After Initial Enquiries
Nursing care
Treatment
Record keeping and management
AI summary: Mr. U complained about the Trust's management of his mother's nutrition, hydration, and the timing of a feeding tube, contributing to her death.
East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (P-004899)
NHS in England
Closed After Initial Enquiries
Drugs / medication
End of life care
AI summary: Mrs J complained the Trust failed to proactively manage her husband's pain in the stroke unit and didn't arrange a palliative care review.
East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (P-004532)
NHS in England
Partly Upheld
Diagnosis
Record keeping and management
Communication
Treatment
AI summary: Mrs M complained about Mr M's poor clinical care, including neglected sepsis care, inappropriate DNACPR communication, poor record-keeping, and an incorrect Clexane dose.
East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (P-004399)
NHS in England
Closed After Initial Enquiries
Diagnosis
Referral
AI summary: A patient complained the Trust failed to detect abnormalities on his chest X-ray and delayed cardiology investigations, causing him distress.
East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (P-004401)
NHS in England
Partly Upheld
Diagnosis
AI summary: Mrs D alleged the Trust failed to test Mr D for flu, leading to a missed AHLE diagnosis and incorrect treatment, potentially shortening his life.
East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (P-004368)
NHS in England
Closed After Initial Enquiries
Treatment
End of life care
Choice and Consent
AI summary: Mrs R complained the Trust failed to administer her mother's Parkinson's medication, provided inadequate care, ignored advanced wishes, and didn't communicate with her, contributing to an avoidable death.
East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (P-004506)
NHS in England
Upheld
Access
Access
Treatment
Treatment
Transfer, discharge and aftercare
Treatment
Treatment
Diagnosis
Treatment
Treatment
Complaint handling
AI summary: Mrs O complained about delayed diagnosis, inadequate investigation of breathlessness, unsafe discharge, and poor management of her sister's kidney function and sepsis, leading to her premature death.
East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (P-004235)
NHS in England
Closed After Initial Enquiries
Surgery
Diagnosis
Diagnosis
Complaint handling
AI summary: Mr H complained about misdiagnosis and incorrect surgery in 2021, missed opportunities to identify a neck fracture in 2023, and the Trust's failure to investigate his complaint.
East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (P-003446)
NHS in England
Closed After Initial Enquiries
Treatment
AI summary: Mr O alleged the Trust failed to provide timely tests, treatment, and acted on his concerns for his twin daughters' respiratory conditions, making poor clinical decisions that led to severe deterioration.
East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (P-003336)
NHS in England
Closed After Initial Enquiries
Treatment
AI summary: Mr A complained the Trust mismanaged his husband's care, including delayed CT scan review, misleading information, an unnecessary biopsy, and poor pre/post-biopsy care, leading to his premature death.
East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (P-003335)
NHS in England
Closed After Initial Enquiries
Drugs / medication
Tests
Communication
Communication
Communication
Treatment
AI summary: Mrs B complained about various failings in her fertility care, including delayed medication, mislabelled tests, poor communication, cancelled procedures, and the Trust's inadequate complaint handling.
East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (P-003175)
NHS in England
Closed After Initial Enquiries
Drugs / medication
Nursing care
AI summary: Miss R complained the Trust administered morphine to her mother despite knowing of an allergy, provided poor emergency care, and believed it caused her mother's death.
East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (P-003093)
NHS in England
Partly Upheld
Transfer, discharge and aftercare
Treatment
Treatment
Treatment
Treatment
Communication
Treatment
Treatment
AI summary: Miss O complained the Trust failed to treat her sister quickly, placed her inappropriately, mismanaged hydration and oxygen, neglected posture, and did not involve family in critical treatment discussions before her death.
East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (P-002924)
NHS in England
Closed After Initial Enquiries
Treatment
AI summary: Mr A complained ward staff failed to provide proper care for his late mother, including not using a fan for COPD, incorrect positioning, poor hygiene, and medication mismanagement.
East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (P-002799)
NHS in England
Closed After Initial Enquiries
Diagnosis
AI summary: Mrs L complained the Trust failed to diagnose her husband's rare brain condition earlier and perform appropriate tests, denying him the opportunity to prolong his life.
East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (P-002827)
NHS in England
Partly Upheld
Diagnosis
AI summary: Mrs A questioned why her husband's pancreatic cancer diagnosis was missed across multiple CT scans, believing earlier diagnosis could have led to better pain relief and a home death.
East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (P-002603)
NHS in England
Closed After Initial Enquiries
Communication
Diagnosis
Access
Diagnosis
Diagnosis
Communication
End of life care
AI summary: Mrs L complained the ambulance service gave incorrect advice about her husband's care, delaying treatment for a suspected heart attack, and other trusts missed diagnoses.
East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (P-002412)
NHS in England
Closed After Initial Enquiries
Transfer, discharge and aftercare
AI summary: Mrs E complained the Trust improperly discharged her from its pain management clinic despite a new spinal disc bulge, suspecting it was retaliation for a previous complaint.
East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (P-001994)
NHS in England
Closed After Initial Enquiries
Continuing healthcare
AI summary: Mr U complained a nurse incorrectly advised his uncle, Mr E, that his care would be fully funded, leading Mr E to sell his home. He later became ineligible, incurring costs.
East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (P-001795)
NHS in England
Closed After Initial Enquiries
Treatment
Diagnosis
AI summary: Mr F complained the Practice missed signs of his wife's brain tumour and the Trust delayed radiotherapy and chemotherapy, potentially affecting her chances of survival.
East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (P-001750)
NHS in England
Partly Upheld
None
AI summary: The Trust failed to include Mr K's manual handling and exercise needs in his discharge summary and care plan, leading to his deterioration and subsequent death.
East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (P-001456)
NHS in England
Partly Upheld
None
AI summary: Mrs H complained her father received incorrect medication, untreated pressure ulcers, insufficient physiotherapy, unconsulted care orders, and a delayed continuing healthcare checklist.
East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (P-001418)
NHS in England
Upheld
Communication
Record keeping and management
Treatment
Choice and Consent
AI summary: Mr L complained the Trust reduced his COVID-19 father's oxygen and stopped antibiotics, commenced palliative care against his will, and failed to include the family in important discussions or provide vital information.
East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (P-001276)
NHS in England
Upheld
Diagnosis
AI summary: Mrs T complained the A&E department failed to refer her for an X-ray or provide appropriate treatment after a fall. This led to a delayed jaw fracture diagnosis, prolonged pain, and potential permanent issues.
A medical practice in the Ipswich area (P-001127)
NHS in England
Closed After Initial Enquiries
Treatment
Treatment
AI summary: Mr R complained a medical practice failed to diagnose/treat his father's gangrene and a hospital delayed surgery, failed to clear arteries, and withheld information about his COVID-19 death.
Upheld / Partly Upheld
259 + 397
18% of decisions found fault with the organisation complained about.
Not Upheld
247
Complaint investigated but no fault found. 1 resolved during investigation.
Closed After Initial Enquiries
2,718
PHSO decided not to proceed to full investigation.
Most complained-about:
HM Revenue and Customs (80), University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (72), NHS England (62), Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (50), HM Courts and Tribunals Service (48).
Published Decisions Over Time
Excludes 2,718 closed before investigation. Quarterly, by outcome.
Annual Complaints (PHSO-wide)
Official PHSO annual statistics across all organisations
| Year | Received | Investigated | Upheld | Upheld % | Remedy % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-20 | 54,478 | 12,275 | 1,216 | 9.9% | 0% |
| 2020-21 | 44,139 | 7,822 | 617 | 7.9% | 0% |
| 2021-22 | 62,553 | 13,426 | 727 | 5.4% | 0% |
| 2022-23 | 61,297 | 15,734 | 782 | 5.0% | 0% |
| 2023-24 | 63,471 | 17,321 | 946 | 5.5% | 0% |
| 2024-25 | 35,521 | 10,070 | 519 | 5.2% | 0% |
Remedy % = percentage of PHSO remedies complied with on time
Top Themes
Themes by Upheld Rate
AI-classified themes across PHSO casework decisions
| Theme | Decisions | Upheld | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delayed Recognition of Deterioration | 747 | 184 | 25% |
| Complaint record keeping failures | 632 | 108 | 17% |
| Clinical negligence harms learning | 460 | 92 | 20% |
| Care plan failures | 436 | 121 | 28% |
| Care and discharge planning | 288 | 77 | 27% |
| No person-centred care | 215 | 46 | 21% |
| Inaccurate and inaccessible patient records | 204 | 37 | 18% |
| Patient dignity and privacy | 147 | 40 | 27% |
| Inadequate Pre-Operative Risk Assessment | 136 | 44 | 32% |
| Duty of Candour implementation | 134 | 43 | 32% |
| Medication Contamination/Misadministration | 128 | 33 | 26% |
| DWP policy impact assessment | 106 | 12 | 11% |
| Poor health and social care integration | 97 | 21 | 22% |
| Mental Health Crisis Referral Delays | 74 | 10 | 14% |
| Coroner family information gaps | 74 | 25 | 34% |
PHSO Complaint Categories
PHSO Categories by Upheld Rate
PHSO's own issue classifications — broad categories such as 'Treatment' cover a wide range of clinical complaints
| Category | Decisions | Upheld | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Treatment | 1,610 | 418 | 26% |
| Diagnosis | 850 | 206 | 24% |
| Communication | 792 | 233 | 29% |
| Complaint handling | 534 | 161 | 30% |
| Drugs / medication | 463 | 130 | 28% |
| Nursing care | 388 | 154 | 40% |
| Access | 363 | 87 | 24% |
| Transfer, discharge and aftercare | 353 | 119 | 34% |
| Referral | 262 | 58 | 22% |
| Administration | 191 | 30 | 16% |
| End of life care | 170 | 50 | 29% |
| Choice and Consent | 165 | 48 | 29% |
| Continuing healthcare | 160 | 14 | 9% |
| Surgery | 145 | 32 | 22% |
| Record keeping and management | 133 | 30 | 23% |
Organisation Accountability
Combines PHSO annual complaint statistics (volume, remedy compliance) with published decisions portal data (uphold rate). Sorted by upheld rate for organisations with 5+ investigated decisions. Benchmark: 73% average upheld rate among fully investigated decisions. This differs from the headline 18% figure, which includes all 3,340 published decisions — most of which were closed before full investigation (upheld/not upheld only applies to fully investigated cases). Sparklines show complaint volumes received 2019–20 → 2024–25.
Received = complaints received in most recent year (PHSO annual data). Remedy compliance = % of PHSO-recommended remedies complied with across all available years. — = no data in that dataset for this organisation.