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Public Services Ombudsman (Wales) Act 2019

2019 anaw 3 · Enacted 22 May 2019 · Extends to England and Wales

Not fully up to date. 3 changes made by later legislation have not yet been written into this text, which is revised to 1 October 2026.

See the changes not yet applied
ProvisionChangeMade by
ActmodifiedPlanning (Wales) Act 2026 Sch. 20 para. 6(2)
s. 65(7)(f)insertedBuilding Safety Act 2022 Sch. 10 para. 6(2)(a)
s. 65(7)(f)insertedBuilding Safety Act 2022 Sch. 10 para. 6(2)(b)

An Act of the National Assembly for Wales to make provision about the office of the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales; to make provision about the functions of the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales; to make provision about compensation; and for connected purposes.

[22 May 2019]

Having been passed by the National Assembly for Wales and having received the assent of Her Majesty, it is enacted as follows:C1C2

Annotations to the whole text

Modifications

C1

Act modified (4.11.2024) by Historic Environment (Wales) Act 2023 (asc 3), s. 212(2), Sch. 12 para. 7(2) (with Sch. 14 paras. 1-3); S.I. 2024/860, art. 3(d)

C2

Act modified (4.11.2024) by Historic Environment (Wales) Act 2023 (asc 3), s. 212(2), Sch. 2 para. 6 (with Sch. 14 paras. 1-3, 5); S.I. 2024/860, art. 3(d)

Contents

  1. Part 1: INTRODUCTION
  2. 1Overview
  3. Part 2: THE PUBLIC SERVICES OMBUDSMAN FOR WALES
  4. 2The Public Services Ombudsman for Wales
  5. Part 3: INVESTIGATIONS
  6. Power of investigation
  7. 3Power to investigate complaints
  8. 4Power to investigate on own initiative
  9. 5Criteria for own initiative investigations
  10. 6Alternative resolution of matters
  11. Complaints
  12. 7Who can complain
  13. 8Requirements: complaints made to the Ombudsman
  14. 9Requirements: complaints referred to the Ombudsman
  15. 10Records of complaints
  16. Matters which may be investigated
  17. 11Matters which may be investigated
  18. 12Exclusion: matters not relating to Wales
  19. 13Exclusion: other remedies
  20. 14Other excluded matters
  21. 15Decisions taken without maladministration
  22. Ancillary investigations
  23. 16Power to investigate other health-related services
  24. Decisions not to investigate etc
  25. 17Decisions not to investigate or to discontinue investigation
  26. Investigation procedure and evidence
  27. 18Investigation procedure
  28. 19Information, documents, evidence and facilities
  29. 20Obstruction and contempt
  30. 21Obstruction and contempt: costs recovery
  31. 22Serving a costs recovery notice
  32. Reports of investigations
  33. 23Reports of investigations
  34. 24Publicising reports
  35. 25Publicising reports: health care providers
  36. 26Action following receipt of a report
  37. 27Reports: alternative procedure
  38. Special reports
  39. 28Special reports
  40. 29Special reports: supplementary
  41. 30Special reports relating to the Welsh Government and the National Assembly for Wales Commission
  42. Listed authorities
  43. 31Listed authorities
  44. 32Restrictions on power to amend Schedule 3
  45. 33Provisions in regulations adding persons to Schedule 3
  46. 34Power to issue guidance
  47. Compensation
  48. 35Compensation for the person aggrieved
  49. Part 4: LISTED AUTHORITIES: COMPLAINTS-HANDLING PROCEDURES
  50. 36Complaints-handling: statement of principles
  51. 37Model complaints-handling procedures
  52. 38Model complaints-handling procedures: specification of listed authorities
  53. 39Declarations of non-compliance
  54. 40Submission of complaints-handling procedure: general
  55. 41Complaints-handling procedures: promotion of best practice etc
  56. Part 5: INVESTIGATION OF COMPLAINTS RELATING TO OTHER PERSONS: SOCIAL CARE , PALLIATIVE CARE AND DIRECT PAYMENT SERVICES
  57. Application of this Part
  58. 42Matters to which this Part applies
  59. Investigation of complaints
  60. 43Power to investigate complaints
  61. 44Power to investigate on own initiative
  62. 45Criteria for own initiative investigations
  63. 46Alternative resolution of matters
  64. 47Who can complain
  65. 48Requirements: complaints made to the Ombudsman
  66. 49Requirements: complaints referred to the Ombudsman
  67. 50Records of complaints
  68. Decisions not to investigate etc
  69. 51Decisions not to investigate complaints or to discontinue investigations
  70. Investigation procedure and evidence
  71. 52Investigation procedure
  72. 53Information, documents, evidence and facilities
  73. 54Obstruction and contempt
  74. Reports about investigations
  75. 55Investigation reports
  76. 56Further publicity for investigation reports
  77. 57Action following receipt of investigation reports
  78. 58Reports: alternative procedure
  79. Special reports
  80. 59Circumstances in which special reports may be prepared
  81. 60Special reports
  82. 61Further publicity for special reports
  83. Interpretation
  84. 62Meaning of “care home” and “care home provider”
  85. 63Meaning of “domiciliary care” and “domiciliary care provider”
  86. 64Meaning of “palliative care service” and “independent palliative care provider”
  87. 64AMeaning of “direct payment service” and “direct payment service provider”
  88. Part 6: INVESTIGATIONS: SUPPLEMENTARY
  89. Consultation and co-operation
  90. 65Consultation and co-operation with other ombudsmen
  91. 66Working jointly with specified persons
  92. 67Working collaboratively with Commissioners
  93. 68Working with the Auditor General for Wales
  94. Disclosure
  95. 69Disclosure of information
  96. 70Disclosure prejudicial to safety of State or contrary to public interest
  97. 71Protection from defamation claims
  98. Part 7: MISCELLANEOUS AND GENERAL
  99. Welsh language standards
  100. 72Authorisation to give compliance notice to the Ombudsman in relation to Welsh language standards
  101. Review of Act
  102. 73Review of Act
  103. Application of the 2005 Act to certain investigations
  104. 74Investigations commenced before sections 3, 4, 43 and 44 come into force
  105. General
  106. 75Repeals, savings and consequential amendments
  107. 76Functions of the Assembly
  108. 77Commencement
  109. 78Interpretation
  110. 79Former health care providers, social landlords, social care providers and palliative care providers: modifications
  111. 80Consequential, transitional provisions etc
  112. 81Regulations and directions
  113. 82Short title
  114. Schedule 1: PUBLIC SERVICES OMBUDSMAN FOR WALES: APPOINTMENT ETC
  115. Appointment
  116. 1Paragraph 1
  117. Status
  118. 2Paragraph 2
  119. Term of office
  120. 3Paragraph 3
  121. Acting Public Services Ombudsman for Wales
  122. 4Paragraph 4
  123. Further provision: appointment
  124. 5Paragraph 5
  125. Disqualification
  126. 6Paragraph 6
  127. 7Paragraph 7
  128. 8Paragraph 8
  129. 9Paragraph 9
  130. Remuneration etc
  131. 10Paragraph 10
  132. Special financial provisions
  133. 11Paragraph 11
  134. Staff
  135. 12Paragraph 12
  136. Advisers
  137. 13Paragraph 13
  138. Delegation
  139. 14Paragraph 14
  140. Annual and extraordinary reports
  141. 15Paragraph 15
  142. Estimates
  143. 16Paragraph 16
  144. Accounts
  145. 17Paragraph 17
  146. Audit
  147. 18Paragraph 18
  148. Accounting officer
  149. 19Paragraph 19
  150. Examinations into the use of resources
  151. 20Paragraph 20
  152. Supplementary powers
  153. 21Paragraph 21
  154. Previous Ombudsman to continue to be Ombudsman
  155. 22Paragraph 22
  156. Schedule 2: EXCLUDED MATTERS: PART 3
  157. 1Paragraph 1
  158. 2Paragraph 2
  159. 3Paragraph 3
  160. 4Paragraph 4
  161. 5Paragraph 5
  162. 6Paragraph 6
  163. 7Paragraph 7
  164. Schedule 3: LISTED AUTHORITIES
  165. Paragraph
  166. Schedule 4: EXCLUDED MATTERS: PART 5
  167. 1Paragraph 1
  168. 2Paragraph 2
  169. Schedule 5: CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS
  170. Part 1: Investigations
  171. Care Standards Act 2000 (c.14)
  172. 1Paragraph 1
  173. 2Paragraph 2
  174. Public Audit (Wales) Act 2004 (c.23)
  175. 3Paragraph 3
  176. Public Audit (Wales) Act 2013 (anaw 3)
  177. 4Paragraph 4
  178. Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 (anaw 2)
  179. 5Paragraph 5
  180. Part 2: MISCELLANEOUS
  181. Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 (c.13)
  182. 6Paragraph 6
  183. 7Paragraph 7
  184. Local Government Act 1974 (c.7)
  185. 8Paragraph 8
  186. 9Paragraph 9
  187. ...
  188. 10Paragraph 10 Repealed
  189. Local Government and Housing Act 1989 (c.42)
  190. 11Paragraph 11
  191. 12Paragraph 12
  192. ...
  193. 13Paragraph 13 Repealed
  194. 14Paragraph 14 Repealed
  195. Health Service Commissioners Act 1993 (c.46)
  196. 15Paragraph 15
  197. Housing Act 1996 (c.52)
  198. 16Paragraph 16
  199. 17Paragraph 17
  200. Freedom of Information Act 2000 (c.36)
  201. 18Paragraph 18
  202. Local Government Act 2000 (c.22)
  203. 19Paragraph 19
  204. 20Paragraph 20 Repealed
  205. Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003 (c.43)
  206. 21Paragraph 21
  207. National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006 (c.42)
  208. 22Paragraph 22
  209. Commissioner for Older People (Wales) Act 2006 (c.30)
  210. 23Paragraph 23
  211. Government of Wales Act 2006 (c.32)
  212. 24Paragraph 24
  213. Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 (c.28)
  214. 25Paragraph 25
  215. Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 (anaw 4)
  216. 26Paragraph 26
  217. 27Paragraph 27
  218. Data Protection Act 2018 (c.12)
  219. 28Paragraph 28