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 16 results matching "University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust"
University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust (P-005105)
NHS in England
Partly Upheld
Facilities and cleanliness
Nursing care
Nursing care
Nursing care
AI summary: Mrs O complained about the loss of her mother's hearing aid, inadequate replacements, and poor skin care leading to a pressure sore.
University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust (P-005093)
NHS in England
Partly Upheld
Transfer, discharge and aftercare
Choice and Consent
AI summary: Mrs. O complained that the Trust did not discuss surgical options, provide post-operative information, or offer support after her haemorrhoidal artery ligation operation.
University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust (P-005047)
NHS in England
Not Upheld
Drugs / medication
Referral
AI summary: Mrs. R complained doctors failed to give her husband aspirin promptly after TIAs and delayed contacting the thrombectomy service, leading to his stroke and death.
University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust (P-004945)
NHS in England
Closed After Initial Enquiries
Diagnosis
Transfer, discharge and aftercare
AI summary: Mr. R complained the Trust failed to recognise his mother's severe heart condition in the ED, leading to her discharge and subsequent death at home.
University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust (P-004944)
NHS in England
Closed After Initial Enquiries
Transfer, discharge and aftercare
AI summary: Mr. R complained the Trust discharged his father while he was still unwell with pneumonia, leading to his deterioration, readmission, and death.
University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust (P-004866)
NHS in England
Partly Upheld
Nursing care
Treatment
AI summary: Mr H complained about a pressure sore, catheter care, and lack of rehabilitation for his father at two Trusts, leading to infections and his father's death.
University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust (P-004693)
NHS in England
Closed After Initial Enquiries
Diagnosis
Treatment
Record keeping and management
Treatment
Complaint handling
AI summary: Mr Z complained the Trust misdiagnosed fluid accumulation, wrongly stopped diuretic therapy, poorly monitored his father's weight, and failed to escalate his deteriorating care, leading to his death.
University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust (P-004141)
NHS in England
Closed After Initial Enquiries
Treatment
AI summary: Mr Y complained the Trust’s GP failed to thoroughly investigate his mother’s back pain, delaying a cancer diagnosis and limiting her treatment options.
University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust (P-003781)
NHS in England
Closed After Initial Enquiries
Diagnosis
AI summary: Miss G complained the Trust failed to diagnose Mr H with a Pancoast tumour in early 2022, which she believes led to a reduced quality and length of life.
University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust (P-003647)
NHS in England
Partly Upheld
COVID-19
Risk assessment
AI summary: Miss T complained the Trust failed to conduct a falls risk assessment or lower bed rails for her godfather, resulting in a fall that she believes contributed to his death.
University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust (P-003621)
NHS in England
Closed After Initial Enquiries
Diagnosis
Treatment
Record keeping and management
Treatment
Complaint handling
AI summary: Mr Q complained about his father's misdiagnosis, incorrect medication, poor monitoring, and delayed escalation of care, which he believes led to his father's death.
University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust (P-003435)
NHS in England
Closed After Initial Enquiries
Drugs / medication
Transfer, discharge and aftercare
Communication
Tests
Treatment
AI summary: Mrs G complained the Trust did not check for DVT, gave incorrect medication, failed to elevate legs, placed a DNR without consent, and did not transport her husband home, leading to his death.
University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust (P-002905)
NHS in England
Partly Upheld
Choice and Consent
Drugs / medication
Communication
Transfer, discharge and aftercare
AI summary: Mr and Mrs B complained Trust staff repeatedly suggested termination, refused antibiotics for a UTI despite positive tests, had scan errors, and missed retained placental tissue after their son's birth.
University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust (P-002990)
NHS in England
Partly Upheld
Access
Access
Diagnosis
Complaint handling
AI summary: Mr D complained about ambulance and hospital delays, misdiagnosis of his wife's brain haemorrhage as a stroke, and poor communication, which he believed contributed to her death.
University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust (P-002345)
NHS in England
Closed After Initial Enquiries
Nursing care
AI summary: Mrs T complained her mother developed preventable pressure sores due to negligent care provided by the Trust.
University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust (P-001777)
NHS in England
Closed After Initial Enquiries
Diagnosis
AI summary: Miss Y complained about multiple failed cannula insertions, slow sepsis diagnosis, poor communication regarding an emergency C-section, and an inadequate apology from the Trust.
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.