The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) is the final stage for handling complaints about public services in Scotland. The Ombudsman deals with complaints about councils, the National Health Service, housing associations, the Scottish Government and its agencies and departments, colleges and universities and most Scottish public bodies. The SPSO also has specific powers and responsibilities to publish complaints handling procedures and to monitor and support best practice in complaints handling (via our Complaints Standards Authority). Apart from dealing with public service complaints, we are also the independent review service for the Scottish Welfare Fund, with the power to overturn and substitute decisions made by councils on Crisis Grant and Community Care Grant applications. All of the SPSO's services are free and independent.