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Complaints about our decision and improvements to the complaints investigation process

Reference FDN 224382 | June 2015

Information request relating to the number of complaints about PHSO’s procedures which include concerns that evidence had been ignored, and what has been done to improve the complaints process at PHSO

I am writing further to your information request of 28 May 2015, in which you asked to know how many complaints about PHSO expressed the view that evidence had been ignored. You also asked to know what we have done to improve the complaints investigation process at PHSO.

With regards to the first part of your request, there is no easy way of searching our case management system to see how many complaints about PHSO included concerns that evidence had been ignored. Historically, when we have accepted a complaint for internal review, we have recorded whether it is about our decision and/or service. A complaint that we had ignored evidence would be considered a complaint about our decision.

Between April 2014 and 31 March 2015 we completed approximately 390 reviews of complaints about our decision. The only way we could establish whether and to what extent those cases related to an allegation that evidence had been ignored would be to review each file manually. Given the time this would take the information is exempt under section 12 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Turning now to the second part of your request, you have also asked about the action that is being undertaken to improve the complaints investigation process at the PHSO. Information on what we are doing to improve the complaints investigation process can be found on the PHSO website:

Additionally, our annual reports show, amongst other things, ways in which PHSO has improved the handling of complaints. The links to our recent annual reports are set out below:

I hope the information is helpful.

FOI/DP Officer

Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman