Thanks for responses, advice and sympathy. I didn't intend going into details, since I recognise that the particular matter is really only my concern, but as an example in general of bureaucratic arse-dragging, this is it in outline (just click off and read something more interesting if ye like):

Some fifteen years ago, I broke an upper tooth; not a front one, but one immediately next to that. A simple "ceramic cap-crown" was made, and for twelve years served perfectly, was indeed indistinguishable from my real teeth. Then it fell out. The dentist who fitted it having retired, I went to her successor in the local practice. He said a new one had to be made, to which I was agreeable. When that was fitted, and I looked at it once I got home, it was immediately apparent that it was much, much too big (and was, moreover, of a quite different "profile; my teeth are flat, this was rounded). It actually overlapped the teeth on either side, rather than sitting neatly between them, as the first one had done. I returnied to the Dentist in the first instance, seeking "local resolution". He said he was satisfied with it (nice form of words), and even when I pointed out the size, shape, overlap, still said it seemed fine to him. Nevertheless - after two requests - he referred me to the Conservation Department at the Dental Hospital. I put these concerns in writing, and contacted the Ombudsman's office. This was in October of 2005. At about the same time, the new crown fell out. In December of 2005, I attended the Hospital, and the Consultant there said that it was not the concern of the Conservation Dept. I informed the Ombudsman's Investigator of this, in December 2005, and requested that their Specialist look at Since then, there have been several excuses about sick-leave and workload; to each of these I responded, pointing out (politely) that it would be a comparatively simple matter to look at the two crowns, compare their sizes, and see that the earlier, smaller, one fitted perfectly, while the other (obviously) could not. Well, just the other day I received a letter from the Ombudsman's Investigator stating (wait for it) that because the Dental Hospital Consultant had not commented, they could not proceed further for the moment, and would ask their Specialist to think of a new approach. That is, it took more than a year for me to be told what I had already written...

Hence my desire to find out just how much these people actually do, for their salary of £23,500 per annum.