The Public Services Ombudsman (Wales) Act 2019 lists the types of organisations that people can complain to us about. The list below is based on Schedule 3 of the Act. The list can change over time. For example, new organisations may be created, others abolished, and the restructuring of public sector services can bring about changes in names and functions. We will review this list every year to make sure it is up to date.
If you are unsure whether you can complain to us about an organisation, please contact us.
The organisations that we can currently consider include:
Government of Wales
- The Welsh Government – including organisations that have been designated statutory functions by Welsh Ministers
- The Senedd Commission – the body corporate that serves the Senedd (in relation to administrative complaints)
Local government, fire and police
- Local councils in Wales
- Fire and rescue authorities in Wales (also in relation to complaints about operational decisions by fire departments)
- Police and crime commissioners for a police area in Wales (in relation to complaints handling only – we cannot consider complaints about the police themselves)
- Joint boards that include all local authorities in Wales
- Strategic planning panels
Health and social care
- Welsh Health Boards
- Welsh NHS Trusts (for example, Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust)
- LLAIS Wales
- Independent care providers in Wales (this includes care homes but can also include other organisations delivering services under agreement with the NHS – for example, certain pharmacies dispensing NHS prescriptions)
- Family health service providers in Wales (this includes GPs, opticians, and dentists)
- Domiciliary and independent palliative care providers
- The Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee (WHSSC) – the body responsible for planning and funding specialist care and treatments
- Social Care Wales
- Health Inspectorate Wales – the independent inspectorate and regulator of healthcare in Wales (in relation to administrative complaints)
- Care Inspectorate Wales – the independent regulator of social care and childcare in Wales (in relation to administrative complaints)
Environment
- The Climate Change Committee
- National Park authorities for a National Park in Wales
- Natural Resources Wales
- The Flood and Coastal Erosion Committee
- Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW) – formerly the functions of Planning Inspectorate Wales
Housing
- Social landlords in Wales (Housing Associations)
- Rent Smart Wales
Education and training
- Estyn – the body responsible for inspecting quality and standards in the education sector
- The Higher Education Funding Council for Wales
- School Admission Appeals Panels
- Governing bodies of any school (acting in connection with the admission of pupils, but not for any other matter relating to a school)
- Exclusion Appeal Panels
- Qualifications Wales – the body responsible for monitoring standards and reviewing qualifications awarded in the education sector (apart from degree courses)
- Student Finance Wales
Arts and leisure
- The Arts Council of Wales
- Sports Wales
- Transport for Wales (administrative complaints only – we cannot consider train operational matters)
Taxation
- The Welsh Revenue Authority – the body that deals with two taxes devolved to Wales on sales of land and landfill (administrative complaints only – we cannot influence the amount of tax charged)
- Valuation Tribunal for Wales – the body that deals with appeals about council tax and rates (administrative complaints only – we cannot influence the amount of tax/rates charged)
Other
- The Building Regulations Advisory Committee for Wales – the body that advises on making or amending building regulations
- Comisiynydd y Gymraeg (The Welsh Language Commissioner)
- Harbour authorities in Wales
- The Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales – the body that reviews the arrangements for County Council elections