How to complain to the SPSO
The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman is the final stage for complaints about the NHS in Scotland, once the board's own procedure is exhausted.
What is this?
The SPSO is the independent body that looks at complaints about public services in Scotland, including the NHS. It is the final stage: you go to the SPSO after the NHS board has had its chance to deal with your complaint and has not put things right.
When to use this route
- You have completed the NHS complaints procedure and received the board's final response, and you remain dissatisfied.
- Or the board has failed to deal with your complaint properly within its own process.
This first step is not optional. The SPSO will normally expect you to have been through the NHS complaints procedure before it will look at your case. If you have not yet complained to the board, do that first and keep its final response, as you will need it.
What the SPSO investigates
The SPSO can look at both:
- How the board handled your complaint: delay, failure to investigate properly, inaccurate or evasive responses, failure to apologise or to act on findings.
- The clinical care and treatment itself: the SPSO takes independent professional advice and can reach a view on whether the standard of care was reasonable.
This dual remit is important. Even where a complaint began as a dispute about how you were treated as a family member, the SPSO can also examine the underlying care.
Step by step: how to submit
- Gather the board's final response to your complaint and your own timeline of events.
- Go to spso.org.uk and use the online complaint form. You can also complain by post or phone if that is easier.
- Explain clearly what went wrong, what you have already done, and what outcome you are seeking.
- Note any time limits. The SPSO generally expects complaints to be brought within a year of you becoming aware of the matter, though it has discretion. Do not delay.
What it costs
Nothing. The SPSO service is free.
Typical timescales
The SPSO works to a target of around 16 weeks for many investigations, though complex cases, particularly those needing detailed clinical advice, can take longer.
What outcomes are possible
- Findings on whether your complaint is upheld, in whole or in part.
- Recommendations to the board, for example to apologise, to make a specific improvement, or to change a procedure.
- Published decisions, which contribute to wider accountability and learning across the NHS.
The SPSO does not award compensation in the way a court does, and it cannot discipline individual clinicians. Its strength is independent scrutiny and binding recommendations for the organisation.
Last updated: June 2026