Ombudsman outlines plans to improve access and standards across Welsh public services

Nation.Cymru staff

The Public Services Ombudsman for Wales has unveiled a new three-year strategy promising a stronger focus on access to justice, accountability and the use of technology to improve public services across Wales.

The Strategic Plan 2026–2029, published on Tuesday, sets out the watchdog’s priorities as it responds to rising demand for its services and growing concerns about accessibility and standards in public life.

The Public Services Ombudsman for Wales (PSOW), which investigates complaints about public services and standards of conduct in local government, said the new plan had been shaped by evidence gathered across the organisation alongside feedback from a public consultation.

The strategy identifies several major challenges facing the organisation over the coming years, including increasing caseloads, improving access for under-represented groups and making better use of data and digital technology.

The Ombudsman’s office said the plan would focus on four key aims over the next three years.

These include delivering “justice with positive impact” for people in Wales, driving wider improvements across public services, strengthening access for those most in need of support and ensuring the organisation remains resilient and accountable.

The strategy also places renewed emphasis on measuring and communicating the impact of the Ombudsman’s work more effectively.

The office said accessibility and outreach would remain central priorities, alongside the “responsible use” of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies.

Michelle Morris, Public Services Ombudsman for Wales, said the strategy marked an important milestone as the office approaches two decades of operation in Wales.

“As we mark twenty years of the Ombudsman’s service to Wales, this Strategic Plan sets a clear direction for the future of our office,” she said.

“It reflects how our role has evolved, the challenges we know people face when things go wrong in public services, and our ambition to deliver a stronger, more proactive and more impactful service for the people of Wales.”

Priorities

She said the organisation’s priorities over the next three years would include improving access to justice, making more effective use of its investigative powers and data, and using lived experience to help shape improvements across public services.

“Above all, this Plan is about making a real difference to individuals, to public services and to democratic life in Wales,” she added.

The publication of the new strategy comes at a time of continued scrutiny over standards and accountability across Welsh public bodies and local government.

The Ombudsman has increasingly used its powers not only to investigate individual complaints but also to identify broader systemic failures within organisations and recommend reforms.

The PSOW said the new strategy would build on that approach by strengthening its ability to influence wider public service improvement across Wales.