Parliament to nominate new Public Services Ombudsman

The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman’s role is to investigate complaints about most organisations providing public services in Scotland.

The Ombudsman handles complaints where a member of the public claims to have suffered “injustice or hardship” as a result of “maladministration or service failure”.

Mr McFadden is expected to succeed the current Ombudsman, Rosemary Agnew, who completes her eight-year term of office on 30 April 2025.

The appointment follows an open recruitment process.

Mr McFadden is expected to take up his post on 20 October 2025.

This is a full-time, fixed term appointment for eight years and attracts a salary of £142,661.

An acting Ombudsman – Andrew Crawford, currently a senior member of Ms Agnew’s team – will be appointed in the interim, for the period 1 May until 19 October 2025.

Biographical information

Paul McFadden is the current Legal Ombudsman Chief Ombudsman for England and Wales, a post he has held since January 2021.

With almost two decades of senior experience in Ombudsman and investigation roles in Scotland and across the UK, he brings a deep understanding of public sector oversight, including leading a number of Ombudsman organisations through significant transformation and growth.

Mr McFadden previously served as Acting Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman (NIPSO) and Local Government Commissioner for Standards, with oversight of Northern Ireland’s public services and local government conduct, serving as Deputy Ombudsman, Deputy Commissioner and Judicial Appointments Ombudsman from 2016-2019.

Prior to NIPSO, he established and headed up the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman’s Complaints Standards Authority, implementing an improved culture and streamlined complaints handling system across Scotland’s public bodies.

Mr McFadden also helped lead the successful establishment of the Police Complaints Commissioner for Scotland, delivering Scotland’s first independent police complaint investigations, and the first UK Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration.