Time limits

Health Service Ombudsman

The complaint must be sent to the Ombudsman no later than a year from the date when the complainant became aware of the events which are the subject of complaint. However, the Ombudsman is aware that in some cases it can take longer than a year to go through stages one and two of the complaints’ procedure. Even if it has been more than a year, it is worth appealing to the Ombudsman, as her office has the discretion to waive the time limit, especially where local investigation took a particularly long time.

The Ombudsman will usually acknowledge receipt of a complaint within two working days. Whilst they aim to respond to most correspondence within 18 days, a letter with the decision on how they are going to deal with the complaint may take up to two months. This will depend on the complexity of the complaint.

If the Ombudsman asks the NHS organisation or practitioner concerned to take some further action to resolve matters, the complainant is told about this and invited to return to the ombudsman if the matter is not resolved to their satisfaction. The complainant must return to the ombudsman within a year.

Be prepared for a long wait! Investigations by the Ombudsman are very thorough and detailed, and this can be a lengthy process, often taking up to a year from start to finish. The investigation is likely to take at least nine months. Some cases have been known to take even longer. If the complainant is suffering from a life limiting illness, you need to ensure that the Ombudsman is aware of this fact when the complaint is referred to her office so they can “fast track” the complaint.

Next: Who is complaining?