Becoming the Public Service Ombudsman

1 Oct 2026 11:53 AM

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman has officially changed its name to the Public Service Ombudsman, marking a new chapter for the organisation and reflecting its role in improving public services. 

Research with members of the public, public sector organisations and parliamentarians showed that the old name was confusing for people.  

The new name, which takes effect from 1 October 2026, makes it clearer who the organisation is, what it does and how it can help people who have not been able to resolve a complaint with a public service. 

While the name has changed, the organisation’s purpose and independence remain the same. The Public Service Ombudsman will continue to carry out independent and impartial investigations of complaints about the NHS, UK Government departments, and other public bodies. It will use the evidence from complaints to help public services learn and improve. 

The Public Service Ombudsman Paula Sussex CBE recently said: 

“This marks an important new chapter for our organisation and  our new strategy. Our new name better reflects the breadth of our work and our ambition to be a clear, recognisable and trusted voice for fairness, accountability and learning. 

“The changes people will see are focused on our name and visual identity. Our service and the complaints we investigate remain unchanged. Our purpose is to provide a fair and independent service for people who have not been able to resolve a complaint, while using what we learn to help public services prevent harm, strengthen accountability and improve services for everyone.  

“I am grateful to the organisations and partners we work with for their time and support in helping us make this change, particularly those updating their information and signposting to make sure the transition is as smooth as possible.” 

The name change forms part of the organisation’s five-year strategy, which sets out an ambition to play a greater role in identifying systemic issues, sharing evidence and driving improvements across public services.  

The Public Service Ombudsman is working with organisations across the public sector and beyond to update references and signposting, and will continue to support partners through the transition to make sure people can easily find and access the service. 

The website, publications and other materials will transition to the Public Service Ombudsman from 1 October 2026.