A Government department spent so long ignoring a daughter's attempts to get her sick mother's medical expenses refunded that the mother died in the interim.

Ombudsman Arlene Brock highlighted Government Employees Health Insurance's unresponsiveness as an example of maladministration in her 2007 annual report into complaints by the public. The complainant claimed GEHI failed to return her phone calls for six months as she tried to secure payment after her mother had treatment overseas. Eventually, cash was paid to the deceased's estate.

GEHI's defence — that it handles 3,000 claims per week, and that 70 calls per day are received through the switchboard as well as calls to direct lines — was not accepted by the Ombudsman.

"Emergency calls must take precedence over calls dealing with past billing matters. Further, GEHI does not always leave a message when returning a call," stated Ms Brock.

"GEHI is acutely aware of the need to reduce processing time and hired additional staff and reorganised processing procedures. Nevertheless, the Ombudsman found maladministration in the delay."

It was one of 134 complaints assessed by Ms Brock's team between August 1, 2006 and July 31, 2007, of which 44 were referred.

Ms Brock also pointed to pensioners who fell victim to incredibly long delays at the hands of the Department of Social Insurance — one of whom ended up receiving $40,000 following an appeal hearing prompted by the Ombudsman.

The retired man, who had received a pension for about ten years, was informed by the Department that he would no longer get his pension until he produced additional information.

After he submitted appeal documents, the department told him the matter would be sent to the Contributory Pension Appeal Tribunal — but years later the appeal had still not been scheduled. He complained to Ms Brock about unreasonable delay and that his phone calls were not answered.

She found maladministration and recommended the case be submitted to tribunal immediately, resulting in the pensioner being awarded $40,000.

Another pensioner complained that, despite 34 years of unbroken service, the department discounted his pension entitlement by disallowing four years of Government service abroad — even though according to the rules this should not have affected his claim.

The complainant said the department took five and a half months to acknowledge submission of his appeal documents.

It then advised the appeal would be sent to the Contributory Pension Appeal Tribunal — but 18 months later the department had still not scheduled the appeal.

Ms Brock said it even took four months for the department to respond to her inquiries into the complaint. When it finally did, she found maladministration in the delay and the appeal was heard two months later, upholding the pensioner's case.

The Ministry of Finance, which is responsible for GEHI and the Department of Social Insurance, failed to respond yesterday when we asked if it would try to improve its procedures following Ms Brock's findings.

Organisations praised for being quick and diligent were Transport Control Department, King Edward VII Memorial Hospital's credit office, the Ministry of Works and Engineering and Bermuda Housing Corporation.

But Ms Brock said: "However, we did have serious concerns about the quality and timeliness of responses to our inquiries from two departments: Social Insurance and Planning.

"The Department of Social Insurance has improved in its responses to me, but has yet to conquer a quagmire of overdue reimbursements to doctors.

"I am convinced, however, that the department is working hard with software vendors to address the problem.

"We hope that the Department of Planning will embrace our general recommendations aimed at ensuring more transparency in their communications with the public.

"In August 2006, I felt it necessary to speak directly with all staff in the Department of Planning about the principles, role and expectations of the Ombudsman. "I thank the Bermuda Public Services Union for facilitating two department-wide meetings."