Background to the process
The SPSO believes in fairness and transparency. While we are the last stage in the complaints process and we recognise that a vital part of our role is to draw a line under complaints and issue a final decision, we also accept that that we are not infallible. Therefore, we have, of our own initiative, established a process for reviewing our decisions.
Asking for a review
This process is open to people and organisations who have received a decision from us.
The timescales for requesting a review of our decision are detailed below and in our decision review information leaflet.
Our role is to make a decision on each complaint by taking into account all the available facts and evidence and the views and opinions of both the person making the complaint and the organisation being complained about.
The grounds on which you can ask us to review our decision on your complaint are limited.
The Ombudsman generally looks at all review requests. She will only change a decision if you:
- send new information, and/or
- demonstrate information we used was wrong, and/or
- demonstrate we made a mistake
AND
- it has an impact on the original decision.
She will not change a decision simply because you disagree with it.
How to ask for a review
You should use a review request form (PDF, 210KB). We can also send you a copy if you call us on Freephone 0800 377 7330. If you would like a Word version of the form, please call us or contact us on the link below.
You should send us your review request and all the supporting information within six weeks of the date of our decision letter. We will not accept review requests made later than six weeks, unless you can show there were special circumstances that meant you were unable to do so.
If you think you will not be able to meet the timescale for any reason, you should contact us as soon as possible to discuss this with us.
The Ombudsman considers all review requests, except where she has a conflict of interest. Her response will tell you whether she upholds the original decision, has changed the decision, or has reopened the complaint for further investigation. This is her final position on her review of the SPSO’s decision.
We aim to respond to review requests on a timely basis, with 95% of requests being responded to within 90 working days or less, and 40% being responded to within 50 working days or less.
Contact us if you need advice on our decision review process.
Working with us: respecting each other
We are committed to providing a fair and accessible service. We believe that everyone who contacts us has the right to be treated with respect and dignity.
We will do our best to engage with you positively and use the best method for you.
Tell us if something is going wrong
- We want to fix problems and to know if you are unhappy.
- Please tell us; we will check what we have done against our standards and make changes if we can.
Remember we are people too
- Our staff have the same rights to be treated with respect and dignity as our users, and we must provide a safe working environment for them.
- We must also provide a service to all our customers.
This means we need to handle any situation or actions which could have a negative impact on our staff or our ability to work. We may need to speak with you about this or we may need to change the way we engage with you. If this happens, we will explain what we are doing and why. Details of our policy about this can be found here, or we can send you a copy of this policy on request.