I’ve been an Investigator at the Ombudsman for more than six years and I love it. It is very rewarding to have such a positive impact on people.

I still remember the first person whose complaint I upheld. She was an elderly woman who had overpaid care fees for some time and the care agency had simply ignored her concerns. It eventually agreed to refund her thousands of pounds; money she should never have paid. When calling her to discuss my findings, she cried. Those kinds of things stick with you, making it easy to stay motivated when you can achieve such meaningful outcomes for people who have nowhere else to turn.

I’m part of our staff forum that works with our IT team to help us get the best from our IT services. Even though I’ll admit to not being the most tech-savvy person, I appreciate the fact my lay-person’s opinion is valued. I have a supportive manager who genuinely cares about me and makes me feel valued and respected. And I know I could ask any of my colleagues for help and it won’t be too much trouble. The culture is really progressive here, where diversity and equality are more than just a tick box exercise.

There are some parts of the job I can find tough. Sometimes we have to consider details on investigations, such as the poor care of elderly or vulnerable people, which can be upsetting. But putting things right for them, and recommending changes happen at the council or care provider to avoid it happening to others, is the best outcome, even if it is difficult.

For anyone considering a career here, I would say “go for it”.

The work is so varied. Tomorrow I could finish a case about children’s special educational needs, speak to a complainant about a homelessness issue, and then prepare a case about tree roots and planning permission. I love the breadth and diversity, and no two days are the same.