The institution of National Ombudsman was established in order to give individuals an opportunity in addition to existing provision, such as Parliament, the judiciary, and internal complaints procedures to place complaints about the practices of government before an independent and expert body. Applying to the Ombudsman may result in steps being taken in particular cases, and, in a broader context, help to restore confidence. The National Ombudsman can also contribute to the quality of government, by providing feedback as to how the administration is performing its tasks. This is important for government organisations that want to do their work in a customer-friendly way and therefore attach great importance to high quality policy implementation.
Complaints are signals, constituting a valuable source of information for quality assurance.
This feedback can be of particular value for government organisations, because they generally have a monopoly in their own field. Observing the criteria on proper conduct referred to in chapter 6 can, in short, contribute to the rationality and legitimacy of public administration. For the National Ombudsman to fulfil his role, he must be visible to the public, which must have confidence in his impartiality and method of operation. Where the government is concerned, it has already been noted that decisions made by the National Ombudsman are not legally enforceable. Where formal power is lacking, respect for the authority of the National Ombudsman and his decisions is of particular importance, if they are to have any impact at all.