Press releases

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman announced today that former Chief Medical Officer, Sir Liam Donaldson has been appointed as Independent Adviser to a major review of the Ombudsman’s clinical advice process. The Ombudsman has also announced today the launch...

A 26-year-old woman’s death from sepsis was avoidable, an investigation by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman has found. Staff at Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust did not diagnose and treat the life-threatening condition quickly enough, and she...

A 73-year-old grandmother’s death from bladder cancer was avoidable, an investigation by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) has found. She died following a hospital’s nine-month delay to diagnose her. An inadequate local investigation failed to recognise this, and...

Vulnerable patients with mental health conditions are being badly let down by the NHS, causing them and their families needless suffering and distress, according to a Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman report published today. The Ombudsman has also found that...

A young woman’s death from anorexia nervosa would have been prevented had the NHS provided appropriate care and treatment, according to a Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) report published today. Averil Hart died on 15 December 2012, aged only...

New data on complaints about government departments and their agencies in 2016-17 was published by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) today. The report shows the Ombudsman handled almost 7,000 complaints about central government last year and completed a...

Older vulnerable people are often reliant on relatives to raise concerns when things go wrong in hospital, yet over half (51%) of family members with a concern say it is difficult to complain about the hospital care or treatment of...

Adopting an integrated approach to investigating complaints about health and social care has led to significant benefits, according to a new report by the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) and Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO). Published today, the report explains...

Incorrect decisions, delays and wrong advice are the top reasons for the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman upholding the highest proportion of complaints about the Home Office than any other government department, a report published today reveals. The report outlines...

People who complain to the NHS are often denied the answers they so desperately need, leaving them no choice but to bring their complaints to the Ombudsman’s service.