Decision Review Process

We aim to deliver a high-quality complaints handling service, which considers and determines complaints thoroughly, but proportionately, and explains decisions clearly. We recognise that complainants may be unhappy about the decision we have made and feel that we have not properly considered their complaint or have made a mistake.

We have a process in place through which, under certain circumstances, you can ask for a decision we have made on your complaint to be reviewed. This process is managed by the Lead Review Officer. They are not involved in our day-to-day handling of cases and can act as an impartial, fresh pair of eyes to look at your concerns about our decision.

The review process will look at our decision on your complaint. It will not re-assess your complaint against the public body.

The decisions reviewed under this process are:

• A decision not to investigate your complaint
• A decision to exclude part of your complaint from an investigation
• A decision to stop an investigation we have started
• Our decision at the outcome of a completed investigation

There is no automatic right to a review. The review process is not an appeal process. We will not accept your request simply because you disagree with our decision.

For us to consider your review request you must:

• Submit it to us within 20 working days of the date of the decision concerned, and either
• Give new and additional information that was not available to us when we made our decision, or show that we have not properly considered specific information you previously sent us, and
• Tell us how this affects our original decision

We will not accept your review request after 20 working days unless you can show that there were exceptional circumstances that meant you could not meet the deadline.

You should send your request to us by completing the form available on our website on the  ‘How to request a
decision review or complain about our service’ page under the ‘About Us’ tab.

Alternatively, you can email the form to us at review.request@ombudsman.wales or send it to us by post to:

Public Services Ombudsman for Wales
1 Ffordd yr Hen Gae
Pencoed
CF35 5LJ

If you need help to access the process and complete the form, please contact us on 0300 790 0203.

We will formally acknowledge your request within 5 working days.

If we cannot accept your request we will tell you why.

If we can accept it, we will arrange for the Lead Review Officer or another senior member of staff who has not been involved before to consider your request.

We will normally aim to write to you with the outcome within 20 working days but complex requests may take longer.

We may:

• Confirm our previous decision
• Agree to look at your case again and assess or investigate it further
• Suggest additional actions by the public body to resolve your complaint

The decision on your review is final and there is no further appeal or review process

We will not respond to further contact from you unless you raise new issues that we consider are significant.

You cannot use this process to complain about a decision on a review.

There may be other legal options available to you and you may wish to take legal advice.