Our role
The Ombudsman can support the drive for a patient‑centred NHS by shining a light on issues raised with us by patients and their families. One of our key roles is to ensure that complaints make a difference. When we identify concerns about patient safety relating to individual clinicians or organisations, we raise them with regulators. The crucial lessons to be learnt from this report all derive from concerned people raising complaints about the care received by their loved ones, and pursuing that complaint with us when they do not receive a satisfactory outcome. In doing so they are performing a valuable public service. We know that many do not complain because they feel it will make no difference. Our job is to make sure it does.