57 An Ombudsman employee called a woman who had lodged a complaint with the Ombudsman. The woman was dissatisfied with her local authority caseworker. In the woman’s view, her caseworker had not adequately studied her case, which related to a job under the flexible job scheme. The Ombudsman employee explained how and when the Ombudsman is able to help – among other things, he cannot consider issues which have not yet been considered by the rel­ evant authority. The employee and the woman therefore agreed that the Ombudsman would close the case without sending her a letter because he was unable to help her at that time. The Ombudsman may close cases solely on the basis of a telephone call to the complainant, for instance in cases where the Ombudsman is unable to help as an appeal option has not yet been used. During a meeting with a complainant, an Ombudsman employee called a government agency as the man had complained about the agency’s failure to reply to an e-mail he had sent. The Ombudsman employee explained to the agency that the man’s e-mail was intended to clarify which of the agency’s documents were covered by a request for access to documents. The employee also explained that the man was dissatisfied about the agency’s failure to reply to his e-mail and asked it to expedite its reply. The Ombudsman can help complainants in many different ways. Sometimes a telephone call to an authority can be the quickest way of speeding up a complainant’s case.