Unhappy with our service
If you are unhappy with our service, you can contact us.
Who can complain?
Everyone has the right to expect a good service from public bodies and to have things put right if they go wrong. Good complaint handling matters because it is an important way of ensuring people receive the service they are entitled to expect.
In considering complaints about our own service, we apply our Principles of Good Complaint Handling, which are:
- Getting it right;
- Being customer focused;
- Being open and accountable;
- Acting fairly and proportionately;
- Putting things right;
- Seeking continuous improvement.
We will not normally consider complaints about our decisions if you just say you disagree with us. We would usually expect you to tell us which aspect of your complaint you feel we have not fully considered or what we have done wrong. It is also helpful if you are able to tell us what you would like us to do as a result of your complaint.
Who do I complain to?
There are a variety of ways in which you can complain. You can:
- Contact the member of staff with whom you have already had contact;
- Contact that member of staff’s manager (the 'Complaints About PHSO' Helpline on 0300 061 4076 will be able to give you that information);
- Write to the Deputy Ombudsman;
- Call our dedicated 'complaints about PHSO' helpline on 0300 061 4076 or email us at complaintsaboutphso@ombudsman.org.uk.
Is there a time limit for complaining?
We will do all we can to look into your complaint. However, under our records management policy, we destroy certain papers after a given period of time (usually 14 months after the conclusion of your case). For this reason, if your complaint to us is delayed we may be unable to investigate your complaint because of the lack of documentary evidence.
What happens to my complaint?
Once you have made a complaint to this Office, we aim to send you an acknowledgement within 5 working days. The acknowledgement will explain that the Ombudsman or one of her senior staff will respond to your complaint.
We will give serious consideration to the issues you raise. Where we identify mistakes in our earlier decision making or failings in our service we will acknowledge those mistakes or failings and offer appropriate remedy.
We expect to respond to the majority of complaints within 16 weeks of the complaint arriving with us. The time taken to respond will vary depending on the urgency and complexity of the complaint. We will assess your complaint about us when it arrives and identify whether, exceptionally, it merits priority.
If we are unable to respond within 16 weeks because, for example, the matters you raise require more detailed work, we will let you know.
What if I still disagree?
Once the Ombudsman or one her senior staff has considered your complaint and sent you a response, their decision is final. We will acknowledge any further correspondence from you but, unless it raises new issues that we consider significant, we will not send further replies.
Can I appeal against the Ombudsman’s decisions?
The Ombudsman’s decisions can be the subject of judicial review proceedings and you may wish to seek legal advice on that matter. Applications for judicial review have to be made promptly (usually within three months of the decision).
If you remain dissatisfied with our decision on a Freedom of Information or Data Protection response, you can complain to the Information Commissioner. Further information can be found at www.ico.gov.uk.
To whom do I send comments, compliments and suggestions?
If you would like to send us a compliment, make a comment or suggest an idea about improving our service please contact the person who is handling your case. Alternatively you can e-mail complaintsaboutphso@ombudsman.org.uk or contact our 'Complaints About PHSO' Helpline on 0300 061 4076.
For more information, you can download our leaflet:
Complaining about the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman 
(72kb).
