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Inadequate support by the government contributed to the lengthy delays in assessing compensation claims for people wrongly charged by the NHS for personal care, writes Derren Hayes.

Health service ombudsman Ann Abraham said in her annual report that despite her warnings last year, the Department of Health had not provided adequate support and guidance to assess cases by April 2004.

Only 57 per cent of case reviews had been carried out by the initial deadline and there are still more than 6,000 outstanding requests for review. The government has pledged to finish these by the end of July.

Community care minister Stephen Ladyman has consistently said that the delays were due to a higher than expected number of case review requests. But Abraham’s said: “While I recognise a proportion of requests for reviews were not received until after December 2003, it represents a very disappointing performance, compounded by the fact reviews are unlikely to be completed until the end of July.”

The review was prompted by a ruling by Abraham’s last year that the NHS should pay for the continuing care of people suffering from certain conditions. The final bill is expected to cost the government more than £180m.

Annual report from www.ombudsman.org.uk