Glossary
We try and avoid using jargon wherever possible in our dealings with the public and pride ourselves on writing letters and publications that are clear and easy to understand.
Throughout this site, however, you may come across certain words, or terms, that we often use when we describe the way that we work. Some of these words and terms are quite specific to the work of this office and may be unfamiliar to you in the form that we use them.
The following list provides you with explanations of some of the words and terms that we frequently use.
- Assistance Officer
- Our Assistance Team provides help and advice to you when you first bring your complaint to this office. The people that work on this team are called Assistance Officers.
- Adjudication Officer
- When we are able to investigate your complaint, it will be passed to an Adjudication Officer, who will carry out a full and thorough investigation of your concerns.
- Codes of Practice
- All of the organisations that we investigate publish Codes of Practice in leaflet form and online, which set out the standards you can expect to receive on aspects of their service, including the handling of mistakes.
- Mediation
- Not all complaints will be settled by recommendation. We may be able to find a resolution to the complaint that is acceptable to you and the organisation. If we are able to do this, we will close the case on that basis. We call this process 'mediation'.
- Recommendation
- When the Adjudicator reaches a decision on a complaint, she sends a letter to the complainant and organisation setting out her findings. We call these recommendation letters because they set out what, if anything, she recommends the organisation to do to put matters right.
- Redress
- When we refer to redress, we mean an apology or other compensation, including financial, that the Adjudicator may recommend the organisations to consider if they have not handled your affairs properly.
- Remit
- When we talk about something falling within the remit of this office, we mean the types of complaint that we are able to investigate.