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The Northern Ireland Ombudsman. Tom Frawley. www.ni-ombudsman.org.uk www.ni-ombudsman.org.uk. The Role of the Northern Ireland Ombudsman The Northern Ireland Ombudsman ensures that every citizen in Northern Ireland is served by a fair and efficient public administration that is committed to:
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The Northern Ireland Ombudsman Tom Frawley www.ni-ombudsman.org.uk www.ni-ombudsman.org.uk
The Role of the Northern Ireland Ombudsman The Northern Ireland Ombudsman ensures that every citizen in Northern Ireland is served by a fair and efficient public administration that is committed to: accountability; openness; and quality of service. www.ni-ombudsman.org.uk www.ni-ombudsman.org.uk
The title of Northern Ireland Ombudsman spans two offices: • The Assembly Ombudsman for Northern Ireland; and • The Northern Ireland Commissioner for Complaints The Ombudsman is completely independent of the Northern Ireland Assembly, NI Executive, government departments and public bodies. www.ni-ombudsman.org.uk www.ni-ombudsman.org.uk
The Northern Ireland Commissioner for Complaints • The Ombudsman deals with complaints from people who believe they have suffered injustice as a result of maladministration by government departments and public bodies in Northern Ireland. www.ni-ombudsman.org.uk www.ni-ombudsman.org.uk
What is maladministration? • Used to describe poor administration or the wrong application of rules. Examples include: • Giving advice which is misleading or inadequate; • Discourtesy and failure to apologise properly for errors; • Mistakes in handling your claims; • Refusing to answer reasonable questions. www.ni-ombudsman.org.uk www.ni-ombudsman.org.uk
Who else can the Ombudsman investigate? • The Ombudsman can also investigate complaints about the exercise of clinical judgment by health care professionals, such as: • Doctors • Dentists • However the Ombudsman cannot obtain compensation for individuals. • Pharmacists • Optometrists www.ni-ombudsman.org.uk www.ni-ombudsman.org.uk
When can the NI Ombudsman investigate? www.ni-ombudsman.org.uk www.ni-ombudsman.org.uk
How does the Ombudsman operate? • All complaints are treated in the strictest confidence and services are free of charge • Although the power of the Ombudsman does not extend to enforcing any recommendation, the organisation almost always accepts them • If an organisation fails to provide the remedy that is recommended the complainant may seek the support of the courts. www.ni-ombudsman.org.uk www.ni-ombudsman.org.uk