[1] The SPSO examines complaints where a member of the public claims to have suffered injustice or hardship as a result of maladministration or service failure.
The SPSO is the 'last resort'; investigating cases after the complainant has already exhausted the formal complaints procedure of the organisation concerned.
An aggrieved member of the public must usually write to the body concerned to explain their dissatisfaction and how they wish their complaint to be resolved.
Some organisations will have more than one stage in their complaints procedure so there may be a series of responses between the complainant and the body before reaching the end of the process.
The SPSO receives large numbers of enquiries and complaints which are not within its remit or not ready for it to look at – in these cases, members of the public are directed to the appropriate body or Ombudsman service.
The SPSO is not a watchdog or a regulator – their role is to give an independent and impartial decision on a complaint.
[6] which summarises the reports and highlights any issues or trends to which the Ombudsman wishes to draw attention.
The Ombudsman may be relieved of office by Her Majesty upon request or following a resolution of the Scottish Parliament which, if passed on a division, must be voted for by at least two-thirds of members.
If an investigation finds maladministration, which it won't properly define, or service failure, the Ombudsman may make recommendations to redress problems identified.