More impact for more people – the background to our vision, role and aims

In January 2012 we began a project to review our strategy as an Ombudsman service. We talked to the public, our staff, MPs and our stakeholders – including other Ombudsmen schemes, regulators, charities and some bodies in our jurisdiction.

We listened to our customers and looked at the world around us, at lessons from our history and suggestions about how we could improve.

Hard to complain

We all use public services throughout our lives.  When things go wrong, it should be easy to find out how and where to complain.  Complaints should be heard and acted upon.  If a mistake has been made, it should be put right and lessons learned to avoid the same mistake happening in future.

Using independent research companies, we asked the public about how easy it is to complain about public services and what they expect when they complain.  Researchers spoke in detail to people whose circumstances mean it might be hard for them to complain.  This included people with learning disabilities, people who are carers and people who have been unemployed for more than six months.  We also looked at what our customers tell us about our own service and at the public’s awareness of our role.

Most of the time, public services run smoothly.  Four out of five people had no reason to complain about public services last year.  But of the one in five people who did want to complain, 39% of them didn’t do so.  The reasons why people don’t complain sit at the heart of our strategy:

  • People think that complaining will be difficult and lengthy
  • It can be hard to find out how to complain and who to complain to
  • People feel that complaining won’t make a difference
  • Some people fear that they will get a worse service if they complain
  • There is very little knowledge or awareness of our service and Ombudsmen more generally.
  • For people who are unwell, vulnerable or struggling with difficult circumstances making a complaint can be particularly hard.  Some people fear they may not be taken seriously if they complain.
  • Young people, people with learning disabilities and people from BME communities are less likely to complain.

 “How on earth am I going to put this right without lots of effort?” Member of the public talking about complaining.

“You don’t know where to go – it’s like a massive machine.” Member of the public.

Lack of confidence in the complaints system

Last year there were over 150,000 complaints made to the NHS.  Estimates suggest that there are 1.4 million complaints each year about central government.

Our research shows that if a complaint is made, the public lacks confidence that anything will change as a result.  Of the people we spoke to who had complained about public services:

  • 54% do not think the process is efficient
  • 57% said they were not kept properly updated about their complaint
  • 64% did not believe that their complaint would change the way the organisation did things in the future

The complaints system is complex and hard to navigate.  In 2008, Parliament’s Public Administration Select Committee reported on a confusing array of methods for complaining to government.  These findings were backed up by our own 2011 report, Responsive and Accountable, which described the cross-government complaints system as inconsistent, haphazard and unaccountable.

 “You feel exhausted, frustrated and you feel like you are going into a black hole.  You cannot see any positive ending.  My complaint is too complex and opens up a whole can of worms.  I feel lip service is paid to anything that challenges the system.” Member of the public.

Working with Parliament

Our powers are set out in law and are rooted in our relationship with Parliament.  In developing our strategy we looked at some of the comments and recommendations that Parliament has made in recent months about our work.  We also talked with members of the Public Administration Select Committee, as individuals and as a group. Those conversations have helped to shape the ways in which we will work with Parliament in future:

  • We will work more closely with MPs to provide a better service to their constituents
  • There is more we can do to provide MPs with information about areas of public dissatisfaction and concern about public services.
  • Our casework can provide evidence of big or repeated mistakes by public services.  Sharing this with Parliament can help get these mistakes put right.
  • We can provide Parliament with insight about how well public services are resolving complaints for the public.

Our strategy also takes account of feedback and recommendations from MPs and other stakeholders in that we will:

  • Aim to help more people by resolving complaints earlier where we can and by investigating more complaints.
  • Work to ensure that our service is better known, and that our communication with the public and our customers is clear, straight forward and easy to understand.
  • Work to deliver value for money by developing our organisation so that we work efficiently and effectively.

What our staff told us

We talked to our staff about our new strategy.  They shared their enthusiasm for raising our profile and influence, and their priorities for improving the way we work.  They said:

  • We need to raise our profile and become better known.
  • Better knowledge management is essential so we can capture and identify themes and trends from our casework.
  • Our independence and impartiality are at the heart of our role and need to be protected.
  • We need to ensure that our core role – resolving complaints for individuals – remains at the heart of what we do.
  • There is an opportunity for us to publish and share more information about our work.
  • The word ‘fair’ is fundamental to what we do.

Our new strategy

Our strategy reflects all the feedback, ideas and learning we have gathered and which is summarised here.

It sets out our vision that complaints will make a difference, and that complaining about public services should be straightforward and fair.  Our role in investigating complaints is set out in law and our strategy describes how we will carry out that role over the next five years.  It includes the aims we have set ourselves to help achieve our vision.

We cannot deliver our strategy alone.  We are looking forward to working with Parliament, the organisations within our jurisdiction, our other stakeholders and the public to have more impact for more people.  If you have any feedback on our strategy or ideas we would be delighted to hear from you.  Please contact us – call 0345 015 4033 or email phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk.