Dealing with complaints about our service Suzannah Beazley Head of Review Team, Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman Walter Merricks Service Complaint Adjudicator, Legal Ombudsman

the main issues separating complaints about service from complaints about merits internal responsibility for service complaints process and procedures remedies and redress for poor service role and responsibilities and value of external service complaint reviewers

A mini survey We had info on 18 schemes replied – 13 are ombudsman and 5 are regulators All but one said they had an identified process For nearly all it was on their website The large majority had 2 internal stages and could identify a manager responsible, and the position of the person who signed final stage Possible outcomes: apologies, change in process – some said compensation might be paid

Service complaints approach of staff communications discrimination failure to follow process pressure caused by response deadline timeliness comments/evidence/points not considered

Distinguishing service complaints Not always easy Often a cover for dissatisfaction about merits Very rare that service is the only issue FOS says 25% going to IA are about merits Is it worth arguing at length that this is just about merits?

location of responsibility All agree that the first stage is best handled locally FOS disbanded a separate “Service Review Team” to avoid distancing service complaints Some schemes use same process and line to handle service and merits complaints Others identify service complaints with a separate case number

Timing Dealing with service complaint while merits investigation still under way? Usually yes – helps to keep case on track Manager needs to decide if change of investigator demanded What if an DPA/FOI request is made? Where there is an external stage 3, usually only accepted after merits final decision

Remedies Admission and apologies – who from? Some offer compensation on the authority of managers Usually around £100 Assurance that lessons have been learned Changes in process will be adopted

And what happens? Is there central oversight by a named manager? Are lessons actually learned? As organisations that set standards for complaint handling by others Transparency: how far are they acknowledged in annual reports?

External service complaint reviewers 5 ombudsman schemes have appointed them FOS, OS, LeO, TPO, SPSO Naturally those who have them value them A number of others are considering possible appointment Some E&W government agencies/regulators also have reviewers

Service reviewers All have different titles Different TORs and terms of appointment Different powers Independence gives added credibility, helps bring finality, is critical friend But how should complaints about the service reviewer be dealt with?