Ombudsman: Every child has the right to a paediatrician, regardless of their postcode.

Date of article: 10/09/2026

Daily News of: 18/09/2026

Country:  Slovenia

Author:

Article language: en

The Human Rights Ombudsman warns that the state is violating children’s rights if the only available paediatrician is located far from a child’s home, or if an older child is unable to choose a new paediatrician when their current one stops practising. The Ombudsman is calling on the Ministry of Health and the government to amend the current arrangements as soon as possible.

The Ombudsman is receiving an increasing number of complaints from parents who, following the birth of their child, are unable to find a paediatrician willing to accept their newborn. These problems are most prevalent in central Slovenia but are also occurring elsewhere. Under the current arrangements, newborns and infants must be accepted by the paediatrician with the fewest registered patients in their region, regardless of distance from the child’s home.

In the Ombudsman’s view, this solution is administrative in nature and does not ensure genuine and effective access to healthcare. For example, a family in Trbovlje could be assigned a paediatrician in Idrija, which is approximately 120 kilometres away. It is unreasonable to expect parents to make such long journeys with a child, and not all families have a car or the financial means to pay for the travel involved.

The Ombudsman therefore considers this to be a violation of the right to healthcare under Article 51 of the Constitution, in conjunction with the special protection afforded to children under Articles 56 and 24 of the Constitution and the Convention on the Rights of the Child respectively. The best interests of the child must be the primary consideration in the organisation of healthcare.

If a healthcare service is provided to a child only in name, but is not reasonably accessible in practice, this does not constitute effective access to healthcare. A child’s right to a paediatrician should not depend on their home address.

Older children may also lose their chosen paediatrician if their doctor retires or changes job. Treatment at a health centre alone is not sufficient, as children also require preventive examinations and vaccinations. The Ombudsman is also aware of cases in which a child was unable to receive a required vaccination before starting kindergarten because no paediatrician was available.

Such a system can lead to unnecessary visits to emergency departments or to parents paying for treatment themselves. A country in which fewer children are being born cannot afford to fail to provide those born with accessible paediatric care.

The Constitution and the Convention on the Rights of the Child oblige the state to take special care of children, and international standards emphasise the importance of making healthcare services physically accessible and providing primary healthcare as close as possible to where the child and their family live.

The Ombudsman emphasises that a paediatrician may lawfully refuse to accept a new patient once they have reached their prescribed limit. Therefore, this is a systemic problem for which the state must provide a solution.

The Ombudsman supports the proposal made by patients’ rights representatives in the Ljubljana region that the obligation to accept newborns and infants should be linked to a local branch of the Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia (ZZZS) or, more appropriately, to the municipality in which the child resides, rather than to an entire regional unit. The same protection should also apply to children who are left without a paediatrician due to circumstances beyond their or their families' control.

The Ombudsman is calling on the Ministry of Health to prepare an appropriate amendment to the regulation, which the Government should adopt as soon as possible. The competent authorities must ensure that children throughout Slovenia have genuine and effective access to paediatric healthcare.

 
 
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Difesa civica e trasparenza: il modello del Difensore civico dell’Abruzzo. Online le Relazioni annuali dell’Ufficio del Difensore civico della Regione Abruzzo.

Date of article: 17/09/2026

Daily News of: 18/09/2026

Country:  Italy

Author: Italian National Coordination Body of Regional and Autonomous Provinces Ombudsmen

Article language: it

La condivisione delle esperienze, degli strumenti e delle attività dei singoli Uffici regionali rappresenta un valore importante per il rafforzamento della Difesa civica italiana.

In questa prospettiva, il Difensore civico della Regione Abruzzo, Avv. Umberto Di Primio, ha trasmesso al Presidente del Coordinamento Nazionale dei Difensori civici delle Regioni e delle Province Autonome Italiane il riferimento al sito istituzionale dell’Ufficio e, in particolare, alla sezione dedicata alle Relazioni annuali, mettendo così a disposizione un patrimonio documentale utile alla conoscenza dell’attività svolta a tutela dei cittadini.

Il sito istituzionale del Difensore civico dell’Abruzzo offre informazioni sulle funzioni dell’Ufficio, sulle modalità di accesso al servizio, sulle attività svolte e sulle principali iniziative, oltre a rendere disponibili le Relazioni annuali.

La pubblicazione delle Relazioni annuali costituisce, in particolare, uno strumento di trasparenza, rendicontazione e conoscenza dell’attività della Difesa civica, consentendo ai cittadini e alle istituzioni di conoscere le problematiche affrontate, gli interventi effettuati e le principali criticità emerse nel rapporto tra cittadini e Pubblica Amministrazione.

Nella Relazione annuale 2023, la prima riferita al periodo successivo all’insediamento dell’Avv. Di Primio, viene sottolineata la funzione della difesa civica quale istituzione regionale autonoma di garanzia, chiamata a facilitare il rapporto tra cittadini e Pubblica Amministrazione e a ricercare soluzioni alle problematiche sottoposte all’Ufficio.

Di Primio: «Condividere le esperienze significa rafforzare la difesa civica»

«La difesa civica – sottolinea il Difensore civico della Regione Abruzzo, Avv. Umberto Di Primio – vive anche della capacità degli Uffici regionali di mettere in comune esperienze, strumenti e buone pratiche. Rendere facilmente accessibili le Relazioni annuali significa offrire ai cittadini uno strumento concreto di conoscenza e, allo stesso tempo, favorire un confronto costante tra le diverse realtà regionali».

«La trasparenza – prosegue Di Primio – non deve essere intesa soltanto come un adempimento formale, ma come una modalità attraverso la quale l’istituzione si presenta ai cittadini, racconta il lavoro svolto e rende comprensibili le problematiche affrontate. Le Relazioni annuali rappresentano proprio questo: una fotografia dell’attività dell’Ufficio e, al tempo stesso, una base per individuare criticità e possibili interventi migliorativi».

Il Difensore civico dell’Abruzzo evidenzia inoltre l’importanza del rapporto tra cittadini e Pubblica Amministrazione: «Il nostro compito è contribuire a rendere questo rapporto più semplice, trasparente ed efficace. Per questo ritengo importante che le esperienze maturate dai singoli Difensori civici possano essere conosciute e condivise all’interno del Coordinamento nazionale».

Un patrimonio documentale per la difesa civica italiana

L’esperienza dell’Abruzzo si inserisce dunque in un percorso più ampio di condivisione delle informazioni e delle attività degli Uffici regionali, nella convinzione che la conoscenza reciproca possa contribuire a rafforzare il ruolo della Difesa civica nel sistema delle garanzie a tutela dei cittadini.

La disponibilità online delle Relazioni annuali consente inoltre di valorizzare il lavoro quotidiano degli Uffici e di rendere maggiormente conoscibile una funzione istituzionale che opera gratuitamente a servizio dei cittadini e che, in Abruzzo, è finalizzata anche a garantire il rispetto dei principi di buon andamento, imparzialità, legalità, trasparenza, efficienza ed efficacia dell’azione amministrativa.

Per consultare il sito del Difensore civico della Regione Abruzzo:
www.difensorecivicoabruzzo.it

Per consultare le Relazioni annuali:
Relazioni annuali del Difensore civico dell’Abruzzo

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La RED Europea de Defensores del Pueblo celebra 30 años de historia

Date of article: 14/09/2026

Daily News of: 18/09/2026

Country:  Spain

Author:

Article language: es

La Red Europea de Defensores del Pueblo (ENO, por sus siglas en inglés: European Network of Ombudsmen), celebra 30 años de historia.

ENO la componen defensores del pueblo nacionales y regionales de los Estados miembros de la UE, de los países candidatos a la adhesión a la UE y de los países del Espacio Económico Europe (EEE), así como el Defensor del Pueblo Europeo y la Comisión de Peticiones del Parlamento Europeo.

Coordinada por el Defensor del Pueblo Europeo, la misión de la ENO es facilitar la cooperación entre defensores del pueblo en asuntos de interés común, para compartir las mejores prácticas y proteger mejor los derechos de las personas en toda Europa.

Sus miembros también pueden utilizar las consultas para plantear preguntas sobre el derecho de la UE que surjan durante sus investigaciones. Para responder a estas consultas, el Defensor del Pueblo Europeo colabora con expertos de las instituciones de la UE, principalmente de la Comisión Europea.

El Defensor del Pueblo Europeo organiza periódicamente encuentros con miembros de la ENO, así como seminarios para investigadores y personal especializado. En una de sus últimas reuniones, celebrada en Málaga en enero de 2026, el Defensor del Pueblo de España, Ángel Gabilondo, calificó el encuentro “como una oportunidad para analizar con lucidez el complejo contexto en el que trabajamos” y aseguró que “hoy más que nunca tienen sentido estas reuniones de defensores de distintos países europeos, convencidos de que solo mediante una pluralidad de voces puede conformarse una palabra compartida que no excluya a los demás”.

Hoy, víspera del Día Internacional de la Democracia, desde la institución Defensor del Pueblo de España felicitamos a la Red Europea de Defensores del Pueblo -nos felicitamos- por estas tres décadas de trabajo por los derechos y libertades de los ciudadanos europeos.

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The Chancellor of Justice will become President of the Republic

Date of article: 03/09/2026

Daily News of: 10/09/2026

Country:  Estonia

Author:

Article language: en

On 2 September, the Riigikogu elected Chancellor of Justice Ülle Madise as President of the Republic of Estonia in the first round of the presidential election. Madise received the support of 71 members of the Riigikogu in a secret ballot. At least 68 votes were needed to be elected, meaning that becoming president required support from both coalition and opposition parties.

The President of the Republic of Estonia is the head of state, whose duties are primarily representative and involve maintaining constitutional balance. The office of president requires independence from party politics and impartial conduct. The president’s powers include, among other things, representing Estonia in international relations, proclaiming laws and elections, nominating a candidate for prime minister and appointing the government to office, as well as making proposals for the appointment of several high-ranking state officials. The president may refuse to proclaim a law and return it to the Riigikogu for further debate, and, where necessary, apply to the Supreme Court for a review of the constitutionality of the law.

Ülle Madise has served as Chancellor of Justice since 2015, and her second term began in 2022. Her previous experience as an independent guardian of the Constitution and as a defender of the principles of the rule of law and fundamental rights will also serve her well in the office of president, where she will likewise be required to act impartially, follow the Constitution, and maintain the balance between state institutions.

Madise will continue as Chancellor of Justice until she takes the oath of office as President of the Republic on 12 October.

From then until the appointment of the next Chancellor of Justice, the duties of the Chancellor of Justice will be performed by the Deputy Chancellor of Justice-Adviser and Director of the Office, Mr Olari Koppel.

The new Chancellor of Justice will be appointed to office by the Riigikogu on the proposal of the President of the Republic for a term of seven years.

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We report a record surge in complaints about public services in Wales

Date of article: 09/09/2026

Daily News of: 10/09/2026

Country:  United Kingdom - Wales

Author:

Article language: en

We have reported the busiest year in the office’s 20-year history, with a record rise in complaints about public services and councillor conduct across Wales.

 

In our Annual Report for 2025-26, we say how our office received 4,507 duly made complaints across our public services and Code of Conduct remits – 27% more than last year47% more than three years ago, and three times as many as 20 years ago.

The increase was especially sharp in complaints about the public services people rely on every day. For the first time, we received more than 4,000 complaints about public services in a single year, reaching 4,183 – a 29% increase on 2024-25 and 50% higher than three years ago.

The largest increases came from the sectors that account for most of our casework. Complaints about Welsh health boards rose by 42% to 1,351. Complaints about local authorities rose by 27% to 1,704. Complaints about housing associations rose by 25% to 513.

Despite this unprecedented demand, our office also closed a record number of complaints – 29% more than last year and 43% more compared with three years ago.

Michelle Morris, Public Services Ombudsman for Wales, said:

“This is the clearest signal yet that pressure on public services continues to be felt by people across Wales. We are now receiving three times as many complaints as the office did 20 years ago, and this year’s increase is the sharpest we have seen. Behind every number is someone who has felt let down and is looking for answers, fairness and improvement."

Our office also continued to develop our improvement work across Wales. By the end of March 2026, all local authorities, health boards and 21 housing associations were operating under our model complaints policy, with the remaining few housing associations expected to comply by September 2026. To date, the office closed 20 own initiative investigations – where we can look into an issue without having received a complaint. The office also promoted widely 9 public interest reports published during the year, which highlighted serious failings in healthcare and social housing services.

In addition, despite the increase in casework, we have continued to promote the service to those most likely to need it and improve accessibility. The Report highlights that awareness of the office is now at its highest level, with 52% of the Welsh public aware of us. During the year, the office received 236 complaints over the phone, a key service designed to remove barriers for people who are less comfortable to complain in writing.

Michelle Morris added:

“As we look ahead, our priority is to make sure that our findings on casework continues to lead to stronger accountability, better complaint handling at a local level and real improvement for the people of Wales. The volume of complaints is a challenge, but it is also an opportunity: every upheld complaint, every early resolution and every recommendation can help prevent the same injustice happening again.”

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Link to the Ombudsman Daily News archives from 2002 to 20 October 2011