Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
@phsombudsman.bsky.social
We investigate complaints about the NHS in England, UK government departments and public bodies, including museums. Our service is free, fair and independent.
"This is an opportunity to embed candour, openness & honesty at the heart of public service."
In her new blog, Ombudsman Paula Sussex welcomes today's #HillsboroughLaw debate and shares how it could change how public bodies respond when things go wrong.
orlo.uk/5pSEx
In her new blog, Ombudsman Paula Sussex welcomes today's #HillsboroughLaw debate and shares how it could change how public bodies respond when things go wrong.
orlo.uk/5pSEx
November 5, 2025 at 11:35 AM
"This is an opportunity to embed candour, openness & honesty at the heart of public service."
In her new blog, Ombudsman Paula Sussex welcomes today's #HillsboroughLaw debate and shares how it could change how public bodies respond when things go wrong.
orlo.uk/5pSEx
In her new blog, Ombudsman Paula Sussex welcomes today's #HillsboroughLaw debate and shares how it could change how public bodies respond when things go wrong.
orlo.uk/5pSEx
Have your say on our new strategy!
Your experiences and feedback can help shape our future priorities.
Visit our website before 20 October to complete the survey: orlo.uk/yq27y
Your experiences and feedback can help shape our future priorities.
Visit our website before 20 October to complete the survey: orlo.uk/yq27y
October 6, 2025 at 12:32 PM
Have your say on our new strategy!
Your experiences and feedback can help shape our future priorities.
Visit our website before 20 October to complete the survey: orlo.uk/yq27y
Your experiences and feedback can help shape our future priorities.
Visit our website before 20 October to complete the survey: orlo.uk/yq27y
Our annual complaint data for 2024 to 2025 is much easier to explore.
🔍 You can now search and filter by organisation to see how many complaints we received and the decisions made at each stage.
View the data on our website: orlo.uk/Bt7C5
🔍 You can now search and filter by organisation to see how many complaints we received and the decisions made at each stage.
View the data on our website: orlo.uk/Bt7C5
September 29, 2025 at 8:50 AM
Our annual complaint data for 2024 to 2025 is much easier to explore.
🔍 You can now search and filter by organisation to see how many complaints we received and the decisions made at each stage.
View the data on our website: orlo.uk/Bt7C5
🔍 You can now search and filter by organisation to see how many complaints we received and the decisions made at each stage.
View the data on our website: orlo.uk/Bt7C5
We're calling for improvements to the #Windrush Compensation Scheme after it failed to provide Thomas and his family proper compensation.
It comes a year after our report spotlighting the stories of people who were wrongly denied payment.
Read more: orlo.uk/ZYZp3%E2%80%A6
It comes a year after our report spotlighting the stories of people who were wrongly denied payment.
Read more: orlo.uk/ZYZp3%E2%80%A6
September 18, 2025 at 8:41 AM
We're calling for improvements to the #Windrush Compensation Scheme after it failed to provide Thomas and his family proper compensation.
It comes a year after our report spotlighting the stories of people who were wrongly denied payment.
Read more: orlo.uk/ZYZp3%E2%80%A6
It comes a year after our report spotlighting the stories of people who were wrongly denied payment.
Read more: orlo.uk/ZYZp3%E2%80%A6
"Recognition that a newborn is becoming unwell and really listening to mothers and families when they have concerns."
In our podcast for #WPSD, Director of MNSI Sandy Lewis shares the biggest #PatientSafety challenges in NHS care for newborns.
Listen: orlo.uk/Q6Alu
In our podcast for #WPSD, Director of MNSI Sandy Lewis shares the biggest #PatientSafety challenges in NHS care for newborns.
Listen: orlo.uk/Q6Alu
September 17, 2025 at 10:07 AM
"Recognition that a newborn is becoming unwell and really listening to mothers and families when they have concerns."
In our podcast for #WPSD, Director of MNSI Sandy Lewis shares the biggest #PatientSafety challenges in NHS care for newborns.
Listen: orlo.uk/Q6Alu
In our podcast for #WPSD, Director of MNSI Sandy Lewis shares the biggest #PatientSafety challenges in NHS care for newborns.
Listen: orlo.uk/Q6Alu
We found failings in the way the Charity Commission handled safeguarding concerns related to sexual abuse and recommended it apologise and provide compensation.
Now, we're calling on Parliament to hold the Commission to account.
Read more: www.ombudsman.org.uk/news-and-blo...
Now, we're calling on Parliament to hold the Commission to account.
Read more: www.ombudsman.org.uk/news-and-blo...
September 9, 2025 at 9:35 AM
We found failings in the way the Charity Commission handled safeguarding concerns related to sexual abuse and recommended it apologise and provide compensation.
Now, we're calling on Parliament to hold the Commission to account.
Read more: www.ombudsman.org.uk/news-and-blo...
Now, we're calling on Parliament to hold the Commission to account.
Read more: www.ombudsman.org.uk/news-and-blo...
In our new Prioritising #PatientSafety blog, we explore:
- how we worked with an NHS Trust to bring about improvements in culture
- how an NHS Trust improved its service following a complaint about sickle cell treatment
- the latest patient safety news.
www.ombudsman.org.uk/news-and-blo...
- how we worked with an NHS Trust to bring about improvements in culture
- how an NHS Trust improved its service following a complaint about sickle cell treatment
- the latest patient safety news.
www.ombudsman.org.uk/news-and-blo...
September 3, 2025 at 11:14 AM
In our new Prioritising #PatientSafety blog, we explore:
- how we worked with an NHS Trust to bring about improvements in culture
- how an NHS Trust improved its service following a complaint about sickle cell treatment
- the latest patient safety news.
www.ombudsman.org.uk/news-and-blo...
- how we worked with an NHS Trust to bring about improvements in culture
- how an NHS Trust improved its service following a complaint about sickle cell treatment
- the latest patient safety news.
www.ombudsman.org.uk/news-and-blo...
Don't forget to sign-up for email updates, quarterly newsletters and our Prioritising Patient Safety blog.
Get our latest casework decisions, publications, blogs, podcasts and more delivered straight to your inbox.
For more info and to subscribe visit: orlo.uk/07OtN
Get our latest casework decisions, publications, blogs, podcasts and more delivered straight to your inbox.
For more info and to subscribe visit: orlo.uk/07OtN
September 2, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Don't forget to sign-up for email updates, quarterly newsletters and our Prioritising Patient Safety blog.
Get our latest casework decisions, publications, blogs, podcasts and more delivered straight to your inbox.
For more info and to subscribe visit: orlo.uk/07OtN
Get our latest casework decisions, publications, blogs, podcasts and more delivered straight to your inbox.
For more info and to subscribe visit: orlo.uk/07OtN
A well-handled complaint has the power to reveal the truth, bring closure and create lasting positive change.
Share how the Complaint Standards have helped improve complaint handling at your organisation.
Join our campaign to #MakeComplaintsCount: orlo.uk/KRDi5
Share how the Complaint Standards have helped improve complaint handling at your organisation.
Join our campaign to #MakeComplaintsCount: orlo.uk/KRDi5
August 20, 2025 at 8:33 AM
A well-handled complaint has the power to reveal the truth, bring closure and create lasting positive change.
Share how the Complaint Standards have helped improve complaint handling at your organisation.
Join our campaign to #MakeComplaintsCount: orlo.uk/KRDi5
Share how the Complaint Standards have helped improve complaint handling at your organisation.
Join our campaign to #MakeComplaintsCount: orlo.uk/KRDi5
In our latest podcast episodes we discuss the Complaint Standards and explore:
- the value of complaints and feedback
- how the Standards make a difference to complaint handling
- how the Standards can evolve and what's next.
🎧 Listen: orlo.uk/khqRB
- the value of complaints and feedback
- how the Standards make a difference to complaint handling
- how the Standards can evolve and what's next.
🎧 Listen: orlo.uk/khqRB
July 21, 2025 at 8:35 AM
In our latest podcast episodes we discuss the Complaint Standards and explore:
- the value of complaints and feedback
- how the Standards make a difference to complaint handling
- how the Standards can evolve and what's next.
🎧 Listen: orlo.uk/khqRB
- the value of complaints and feedback
- how the Standards make a difference to complaint handling
- how the Standards can evolve and what's next.
🎧 Listen: orlo.uk/khqRB
"I welcome the importance placed on managing and learning from complaints and on building on our NHS Complaint Standards."
Our CEO Rebecca Hilsenrath comments on Dr Penny Dash's review of patient safety across the health & care landscape published today: orlo.uk/WtSvH
Our CEO Rebecca Hilsenrath comments on Dr Penny Dash's review of patient safety across the health & care landscape published today: orlo.uk/WtSvH
July 7, 2025 at 2:58 PM
"I welcome the importance placed on managing and learning from complaints and on building on our NHS Complaint Standards."
Our CEO Rebecca Hilsenrath comments on Dr Penny Dash's review of patient safety across the health & care landscape published today: orlo.uk/WtSvH
Our CEO Rebecca Hilsenrath comments on Dr Penny Dash's review of patient safety across the health & care landscape published today: orlo.uk/WtSvH
We're pleased to announce that Paula Sussex has been named as the new Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. She will take up the role from 1 August 2025.
Read more: orlo.uk/S3EKa
Read more: orlo.uk/S3EKa
June 27, 2025 at 7:52 AM
We're pleased to announce that Paula Sussex has been named as the new Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. She will take up the role from 1 August 2025.
Read more: orlo.uk/S3EKa
Read more: orlo.uk/S3EKa
In our new Prioritising patient safety blog, we explore:
- how organisations can make complaints count by listening, learning & putting things right
- working with NHS England to improve NHS imaging services
- the latest patient safety news.
Read more: orlo.uk/ED6R5
- how organisations can make complaints count by listening, learning & putting things right
- working with NHS England to improve NHS imaging services
- the latest patient safety news.
Read more: orlo.uk/ED6R5
May 29, 2025 at 10:58 AM
In our new Prioritising patient safety blog, we explore:
- how organisations can make complaints count by listening, learning & putting things right
- working with NHS England to improve NHS imaging services
- the latest patient safety news.
Read more: orlo.uk/ED6R5
- how organisations can make complaints count by listening, learning & putting things right
- working with NHS England to improve NHS imaging services
- the latest patient safety news.
Read more: orlo.uk/ED6R5
In our latest podcast, Beacon Vision charity CEO Lisa Cowley discusses:
- taking part in our Complaint Champions workshop
- barriers people with sight loss face when they use public services
- how complaints can help improve services.
Listen now: t.co/2YnXlHvn6L
- taking part in our Complaint Champions workshop
- barriers people with sight loss face when they use public services
- how complaints can help improve services.
Listen now: t.co/2YnXlHvn6L
April 23, 2025 at 3:44 PM
In our latest podcast, Beacon Vision charity CEO Lisa Cowley discusses:
- taking part in our Complaint Champions workshop
- barriers people with sight loss face when they use public services
- how complaints can help improve services.
Listen now: t.co/2YnXlHvn6L
- taking part in our Complaint Champions workshop
- barriers people with sight loss face when they use public services
- how complaints can help improve services.
Listen now: t.co/2YnXlHvn6L
Share how the Complaint Standards have improved complaint handling at your organisation!
Help #MakeComplaintsCount by joining our campaign: orlo.uk/qeD40
Help #MakeComplaintsCount by joining our campaign: orlo.uk/qeD40
April 15, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Share how the Complaint Standards have improved complaint handling at your organisation!
Help #MakeComplaintsCount by joining our campaign: orlo.uk/qeD40
Help #MakeComplaintsCount by joining our campaign: orlo.uk/qeD40
Our new guide sets out five things you can do as a senior #NHSLeader to:
- embed the Complaint Standards in your organisation
- support your colleagues to deliver a good complaints service
- act on learning to #MakeComplaintsCount.
Read more: orlo.uk/JYskK
- embed the Complaint Standards in your organisation
- support your colleagues to deliver a good complaints service
- act on learning to #MakeComplaintsCount.
Read more: orlo.uk/JYskK
April 2, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Our new guide sets out five things you can do as a senior #NHSLeader to:
- embed the Complaint Standards in your organisation
- support your colleagues to deliver a good complaints service
- act on learning to #MakeComplaintsCount.
Read more: orlo.uk/JYskK
- embed the Complaint Standards in your organisation
- support your colleagues to deliver a good complaints service
- act on learning to #MakeComplaintsCount.
Read more: orlo.uk/JYskK
Really good to meet with complaints teams from Cafcass today.
We discussed our approach to casework, shared ideas for better complaint handling and ended the day with a Complaint Standards training session.
We discussed our approach to casework, shared ideas for better complaint handling and ended the day with a Complaint Standards training session.
April 1, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Really good to meet with complaints teams from Cafcass today.
We discussed our approach to casework, shared ideas for better complaint handling and ended the day with a Complaint Standards training session.
We discussed our approach to casework, shared ideas for better complaint handling and ended the day with a Complaint Standards training session.
We're calling for learning after failings in the way scans are read lead to cancer diagnosis delays.
We're also urging the NHS to look into its digital infrastructure to address incompatibilities between NHS Trusts as part of its 10-year plan.
Read more: orlo.uk/84JJB
We're also urging the NHS to look into its digital infrastructure to address incompatibilities between NHS Trusts as part of its 10-year plan.
Read more: orlo.uk/84JJB
March 24, 2025 at 11:12 AM
We're calling for learning after failings in the way scans are read lead to cancer diagnosis delays.
We're also urging the NHS to look into its digital infrastructure to address incompatibilities between NHS Trusts as part of its 10-year plan.
Read more: orlo.uk/84JJB
We're also urging the NHS to look into its digital infrastructure to address incompatibilities between NHS Trusts as part of its 10-year plan.
Read more: orlo.uk/84JJB
Jennie was one of 4,000 students affected by an error which meant their Advanced Learner Loans weren't written off when they should have been.
We're calling on the Student Loans Company to take action to prevent this happening again.
Read more: orlo.uk/8jBk6
We're calling on the Student Loans Company to take action to prevent this happening again.
Read more: orlo.uk/8jBk6
March 20, 2025 at 12:01 PM
Jennie was one of 4,000 students affected by an error which meant their Advanced Learner Loans weren't written off when they should have been.
We're calling on the Student Loans Company to take action to prevent this happening again.
Read more: orlo.uk/8jBk6
We're calling on the Student Loans Company to take action to prevent this happening again.
Read more: orlo.uk/8jBk6
We'll be hosting a drop-in event in Parliament for MPs and their offices on 1 April with support from PACAC.
MPs will be able to:
- meet the Ombudsman and PHSO colleagues
- learn more about the complaints process
- find out how we can help improve public services.
Find out more: orlo.uk/DoFvZ
MPs will be able to:
- meet the Ombudsman and PHSO colleagues
- learn more about the complaints process
- find out how we can help improve public services.
Find out more: orlo.uk/DoFvZ
March 19, 2025 at 1:51 PM
We'll be hosting a drop-in event in Parliament for MPs and their offices on 1 April with support from PACAC.
MPs will be able to:
- meet the Ombudsman and PHSO colleagues
- learn more about the complaints process
- find out how we can help improve public services.
Find out more: orlo.uk/DoFvZ
MPs will be able to:
- meet the Ombudsman and PHSO colleagues
- learn more about the complaints process
- find out how we can help improve public services.
Find out more: orlo.uk/DoFvZ
How can organisations make sure they handle complaints well and learn from them so mistakes don't happen again?
The Complaint Standards give organisations the tools and guidance to handle complaints more effectively, act on learning and #MakeComplaintsCount: orlo.uk/SFy92
The Complaint Standards give organisations the tools and guidance to handle complaints more effectively, act on learning and #MakeComplaintsCount: orlo.uk/SFy92
March 5, 2025 at 9:35 AM
How can organisations make sure they handle complaints well and learn from them so mistakes don't happen again?
The Complaint Standards give organisations the tools and guidance to handle complaints more effectively, act on learning and #MakeComplaintsCount: orlo.uk/SFy92
The Complaint Standards give organisations the tools and guidance to handle complaints more effectively, act on learning and #MakeComplaintsCount: orlo.uk/SFy92
In our latest podcast, our Senior Lead Clinician Dr Tony Dysart explains:
- the challenges that need to be addressed to improve hashtag#PatientSafety
- ways these can be overcome
- and the role that complaints play in driving improvements.
Listen now: orlo.uk/hUW9M
- the challenges that need to be addressed to improve hashtag#PatientSafety
- ways these can be overcome
- and the role that complaints play in driving improvements.
Listen now: orlo.uk/hUW9M
February 20, 2025 at 2:36 PM
In our latest podcast, our Senior Lead Clinician Dr Tony Dysart explains:
- the challenges that need to be addressed to improve hashtag#PatientSafety
- ways these can be overcome
- and the role that complaints play in driving improvements.
Listen now: orlo.uk/hUW9M
- the challenges that need to be addressed to improve hashtag#PatientSafety
- ways these can be overcome
- and the role that complaints play in driving improvements.
Listen now: orlo.uk/hUW9M
Want to stay up to date on our latest insights into #PatientSafety?
Our new blog series from senior lead clinician Dr Tony Dysart explores how findings from our casework can help colleagues across the NHS harness the power of complaints.
Read more: orlo.uk/99z7D
Our new blog series from senior lead clinician Dr Tony Dysart explores how findings from our casework can help colleagues across the NHS harness the power of complaints.
Read more: orlo.uk/99z7D
February 6, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Want to stay up to date on our latest insights into #PatientSafety?
Our new blog series from senior lead clinician Dr Tony Dysart explores how findings from our casework can help colleagues across the NHS harness the power of complaints.
Read more: orlo.uk/99z7D
Our new blog series from senior lead clinician Dr Tony Dysart explores how findings from our casework can help colleagues across the NHS harness the power of complaints.
Read more: orlo.uk/99z7D
Join our mission to #MakeComplaintsCount!
We’re asking organisations across NHS England and UK Central Government organisations to share how the Complaint Standards have helped them improve complaint handling.
Read our blog to get involved: www.ombudsman.org.uk/news-and-blo...
We’re asking organisations across NHS England and UK Central Government organisations to share how the Complaint Standards have helped them improve complaint handling.
Read our blog to get involved: www.ombudsman.org.uk/news-and-blo...
January 30, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Join our mission to #MakeComplaintsCount!
We’re asking organisations across NHS England and UK Central Government organisations to share how the Complaint Standards have helped them improve complaint handling.
Read our blog to get involved: www.ombudsman.org.uk/news-and-blo...
We’re asking organisations across NHS England and UK Central Government organisations to share how the Complaint Standards have helped them improve complaint handling.
Read our blog to get involved: www.ombudsman.org.uk/news-and-blo...
DWP took eight years to inform a British ex-pat about a change to his pension that would leave him £3k a year worse off.
We're urging Government bodies to make sure their communication is fair, clear, and consistent.
Find out more: orlo.uk/cTrgr
We're urging Government bodies to make sure their communication is fair, clear, and consistent.
Find out more: orlo.uk/cTrgr
January 15, 2025 at 9:34 AM
DWP took eight years to inform a British ex-pat about a change to his pension that would leave him £3k a year worse off.
We're urging Government bodies to make sure their communication is fair, clear, and consistent.
Find out more: orlo.uk/cTrgr
We're urging Government bodies to make sure their communication is fair, clear, and consistent.
Find out more: orlo.uk/cTrgr