Special Report issued under s28 of the Public Services Ombudsman (Wales) Act 2019 following a complaint made by Mrs A against Powys Teaching Health Board

In October 2020, the health board received a Special Report issued under s28 of the Public Services Ombudsman (Wales) Act 2019 following a complaint made by Mrs A against Powys Teaching Health Board. 

Under the provisions of the Act, pursuant to section 6, the Public Service Ombudsman for Wales is able to take any action deemed appropriate to resolve a complaint as an alternative to investigating it. This can include agreeing with a relevant body that it will take certain actions within a stipulated time. Where the Public Service Ombudsman for Wales is not satisfied that the relevant body has carried out the actions it explicitly agreed to undertake within the time stipulated, a special report may be issued.

In accordance with his powers, the Ombudsman resolved the complaint (as an alternative to investigation) on the basis of the Health Board’s agreement to the following 2 actions; it would provide Mrs A with a written apology and a complaint response by 14 February 2020. Being dissatisfied that the Health Board had not complied with either of the 2 recommendations within the timescales agreed, the Ombudsman invoked his powers under section 28 of the Act to issue a Special Report. This is critical of the Health Board’s handling of Mrs A’s complaint and its failure to implement the recommendations that it had expressly agreed to. 
 
The health board’s response to the Public Service Ombudsman for Wales is set out in paragraphs 25, 26 and 27 of the report, which is available from the link below.

The full report is available from the website of the Public Service Ombudsman for Wales at https://www.ombudsman.wales/reports/powys-teaching-health-board-202001997/