BackFrom 1 November 2014, the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales’s jurisdiction changed. This is as a result of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014. He now has an extended role in relation to care homes, domiciliary care and palliative care services.
The Ombudsman has always been able to consider complaints made by individuals whose care has been arranged by public services (or by someone acting on their behalf), for instance in care homes. The new arrangements, however, now mean that he can also consider complaints from people who arrange and fund their own care.
In respect of independent palliative care services, this is a new area in jurisdiction. In this case, in order for the Ombudsman to be able to consider a complaint, the service must have received public funding (e.g. from a health board or council) in the past three years prior to the matter being complained about.
Source: Public Services Ombudsman for Wales, UNITED KINGDOM
