Public Services Ombudsman (Wales) Act 2005

Public Services Ombudsman (Wales) Act 2005

2005 CHAPTER 10

Commentary on Sections

Schedule 2: Excluded Matters

Section 11: Decisions taken without maladministration

39. Section 11(1) provides that the Ombudsman cannot question the merits of any decision taken by a listed authority in the exercise of any discretion if that decision was taken without maladministration. Consequently, provided that there is no delay, bias, neglect, turpitude etc. in relation to the decision (including where the decision relates to alleged service failure), the Ombudsman is not entitled to question that decision. So, where a listed authority has, without maladministration, reached a policy decision in which it has weighed up all relevant matters (including, for example, resources), the Ombudsman is not entitled to question that decision.

40. However, by virtue of section 11(2), section 11(1) does not apply to the extent that a decision is taken in consequence of the exercise of professional judgement which appears to the Ombudsman to be exercisable in connection with the provision of:

(a)

health care, or

(b)

social care.

This is intended to cover decisions taken in consequence of the exercise of clinical judgement (to reproduce the effect of section 3(7) of the Health Service Commissioners Act 1993). However, since section 11(2) refers to decisions taken in consequence of the exercise of professional judgement which appears to the Ombudsman to be exercisable in connection with the provision of either health or social care, it is wider than section 3(7) of the 1993 Act, so extending the remit of the Ombudsman.