The data published here includes information about the complaints received and the decisions made on those complaints in relation to the NHS in England and in relation to UK Government Departments and other public services in 2022-23. The data shows the decision we made at each stage in our process. Further information can be found in the Ombudsman’s annual report 2022-23.
Casework process
We are the final port of call for people with a complaint about UK Government departments, the NHS in England and other UK public organisations. We follow a three-step process, set out below. Where we can, we seek to resolve complaints as early as possible in the process. Our aim is to make the right decision at the right time.
- Initial check
PHSO receives a complaint via the helpline, email, post or on-line. Initial details are collected regarding the complainant, the person affected, and the organisation and issue complained about. PHSO conducts initial checks to ensure it can deal with the complaint.
- Primary investigation
We conduct a primary investigation to consider if the complaint can be resolved quickly without the need for further investigation. This may include mediation.
Mediation is used where possible to help complainants and organisations reach mutually agreed resolutions, without the need for a detailed investigation.
If the complaint cannot be resolved, PHSO examines all evidence provided to confirm if the complaint meets the criteria for detailed investigation.
- Detailed investigation
We talk to the complainant and the organisation about the complaint and what we're going to investigate. We explain how long we think our investigation will take and we keep all parties regularly updated. We gather all the information we need, including from the complainant and the organisation complained about, before we make our final decision. If PHSO upholds the complaint, recommendations will be made to the organisation regarding the actions required to put things right.
Information on the data tables
The data is published in two formats: ods and pdf. This is for accessibility and printing purposes. The content is the same in each format. An explanation of some specific column headings in the data tables is provided below:
- Complaints received: This is the number of complaints we received in 2022-23. Note that the number of decisions made in a financial year may be different from the number of complaints received in that same year. This is because some complaints will be received in one year and a decision may be made in a following year. For example, a complaint might be received in 2021-22 then decided following a detailed investigation in 2022-23.
- Complaints resolved by mediation: Complaints where we have helped complainants and organisations agree a resolution through our mediation process.
- Decided following primary investigation: Complaints where we made a decision following a primary investigation. These figures do not include cases closed by mediation.
- Resolved with agreement of the complainant at initial checks or primary investigation: this includes complaints we have resolved, without mediation or further investigation, with the agreement of the complainant.
Data for 2022-23: Demand for our service continued to be remained significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels. We have continued to apply principles of managing demand on the service we offer, following other Ombuds schemes in the international community. This is where we decide not to consider some complaints further due to the impact of the claimed injustice being relatively limited.
Documents
NHS Organisations Tables 2022-23
NHS Organisations tables 2022-23 [PDF 12MB]
NHS Organisations tables 2022-23 [ODS]
UK Government Departments and Agencies Tables 2022-23
UK Government Departments and Agencies Tables 2022-23 [PDF 700KB]
UK Government Departments and Agencies Tables 2022-23 [ODS]
Helping us improve
If there is any way we could make our data more user-friendly or accessible, please let us know. Email your ideas and share your comments and feedback by contacting publicaffairs@ombudsman.org.uk.