Commentary on Sections Section 1: Statements and Reports: investigations not concluded within 12 months
6.The effect of this section is to place a duty on the Health Service Ombudsman, if a complaint has not been resolved within 12 months of receiving the complaint, to send the complainant a statement to explain the reason for the delay. The section also places a duty on the Ombudsman to include in the annual report she lays before Parliament details of how long investigations of NHS complaints have taken to be concluded, how many of those investigations have not been resolved within a 12 month period following receipt of the complaint by the Ombudsman, and the action being taken with a view to concluding all investigations within a 12 month period.