For 9 years in a row the service complaints system has been deemed to not be efficient, effective or fair by the watchdog that oversees it.

But despite that, and some of the high-profile stories of past failures, the Ombudsman says there’s been significant progress and that planned changes can deliver more improvements.

Sitrep talks at length to Mariette Hughes about why delays don’t just affect the people who do complain, what still needs to be done, and whether servicemen and women can have confidence in a system which isn’t efficient, effective or fair.