NHS Pension Scheme (PO-6225)

Ombudsman’s Determination

Complaint Summary

Mrs T complains that NHSBSA incorrectly decided not to award her Mental Health Officer (MHO) status for parts of her NHS service because the criteria upon which their decision was made are “unclear, unfair, confusing and contradictory”. She considers that she should have been awarded MHO status because:

• she has been working directly with patients who have mental disorders; and
• she is aware of other staff having the same type of role as her who have been awarded MHO status.

Summary of the Ombudsman’s Determination and reasons

The complaint should be upheld against NHSBSA because I accept that Mrs T has  genuinely been unable to understand why NHSBSA consider that she does not meet the MHO criteria. I agree that she has been given insufficiently clear reasons to understand why this is so.