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<p>The office of the Service Complaints Ombudsman for the Armed Forces currently has
around 140 unallocated applications for investigation for matters of Maladministration
and Substance (the oldest case dates back to January 2018). Applications relating
to the review of an admissibility decision and undue delay investigations are being
considered within target timescales.</p><p> </p><p>The Ombudsman has been open and
transparent about the backlog of casework and is doing everything possible to reduce
it. Most notably, work is ongoing to recruit staff to fill investigator vacancies.
Further work is being undertaken to determine the correct level of resource required
to not only reduce the backlog but to establish an organisation that can sustain future
demand. As well as an external review of processes, to identify where efficiencies
may be introduced, a peer review is planned by representatives from external Ombudsman
organisations in order to benefit from their experiences.</p><p> </p><p>The Ombudsman
has made it clear that the quality of investigations undertaken by her office must
not suffer as a result of initiatives to reduce the backlog. Applicants are being
updated regularly on their case and kept informed of likely timescales.</p>
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