Statement on the Health and Social Care Inspectorate’s processing of information that individual’s supply to the agency concerning deficiencies or irregularities within social services and support and service for persons with certain functional impairments

Summary of the decision: Individuals can supply information to the Health and Social Care Inspectorate (IVO) concerning deficiencies and irregularities within social services and activities pursuant to the Act concerning Support and Service for Persons with Certain Functional Impairments (SFS 1993:387). According to IVO, the agency is under no obligation to open a case in response to such information. IVO informs the individual that she or he will not receive any feedback other than that the agency has received the information.

In his decision, the Parliamentary Ombudsman notes that there are no provisions stating that IVO has an obligation to act on complaints from individuals concerning social services and support and service for persons with certain functional impairments that are comparable to the statutory complaint mechanisms for healthcare. As such, IVO’s present processing of incoming information does not contravene any provisions concerning how the agency is to conduct supervision. Nor is there any reason from a legal-certainty perspective to assume that submitting information will result in IVO opening a case.

The Parliamentary Ombudsman does not criticise IVO in his decision.