As we approach the Christmas season we also come to the end of the first year of my term and also the very first year of the Office of the Service Complaints Ombudsman. Although our official year-end statistics won’t be released until the New Year, I thought it only appropriate to use my final blog […]
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One of my powers as the Service Complaints Ombudsman for the Armed Forces is to review decisions made by the chain of command to not accept a complaint for investigation. In the first 9 months my office has upheld 53% of reviews of this type in favour of the complainant. In some instances it isn’t […]
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Sorry seems to be the hardest word in the resolution of complaints but it shouldn’t be that way. One small word can lead to a fundamental shift in how an individual views the outcome of a complaint and their treatment within the complaints process. In this blog I examine the power of ‘sorry’ and why […]
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You might be surprised to learn that the majority of Service complaints made by members of the Armed Forces are not about bullying but about Terms and Conditions of Service (TACOS). However, while complaints about bullying are a minority, they are a significant minority. While the majority of Service personnel will go through their careers […]
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Our investigations team are taking over the Ombudsman’s blog this week to tell you about what they do and to answer the 4 most commonly asked questions about investigations. Many people who make an application to the Ombudsman asking for an investigation think that the Ombudsman will deal with their matter personally. Given the large […]
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Mental health is an important issue in all communities, including the Armed Forces. Although my office doesn’t provide a welfare or crisis service, many of the individuals who contact us are currently experiencing, or have previously experienced, a mental health problem. As it is World Mental Health Day, I thought it only appropriate that my […]
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Have you ever wondered what happens when you make contact with the Ombudsman’s office? Who deals with your enquiry? What do they need to know? How long will it take? Well never fear, our Referrals and Enquiries Team is taking over the Ombudsman’s blog to tell you all about what they do! Hi! We are […]
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A key part of my role as the Service Complaints Ombudsman is to provide oversight of the Service complaints (SC) system in order to assess how efficient, effective and fair the process is. At the crux of this is a need for reliable, accurate and timely evidence. This blog entry will be looking at how […]
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Earlier this month I posted the first of a two-part blog on redress – an issue that is of particular concern to individuals who contact my office. While the first part looked at the broad issue of redress – what it is and the different types of redress – the second part looks at the […]
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What happens at the end of an investigation if the Ombudsman finds in my favour? What is redress, does it just mean compensation? What type of redress will I be given? Can the Ombudsman pay me compensation? Can the Ombudsman force the Services to follow her recommendations? These are all questions that my team are […]
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