Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) comprises the offices of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration (PCA) and the Health Service Commissioner for England (HSC).

The Ombudsman is responsible for considering complaints by the public that UK Government departments, public authorities and the National Health Service in England have not acted properly or fairly or have provided a poor service. In 2011–12, the Ombudsman handled just under 24,000 enquiries about Government departments and agencies and the NHS in England. Of these the Ombudsman resolved 23,889 enquiries – providing help and advice for 19,157 and looking closely at 4,732.

The Ombudsman is appointed by the Crown on the recommendation of the Prime Minister and is accountable to Parliament. The Ombudsman is independent of both the Government and the civil service and reports annually to both Houses of Parliament.

The current Ombudsman is Dame Julie Mellor who has held the post since January 2012.