Source · Select Committees · Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee
Recommendation 19
19
Acknowledged
The Committee is pleased that the PHSO was able to secure an increased budget in...
Recommendation
The Committee is pleased that the PHSO was able to secure an increased budget in the 2021 Spending Review to cope with the increased demand on its service as a result of the pandemic. This has had a positive impact on its casework improvement programme. However, we are concerned that the wider economic pressures across the public sector are likely to impact the organisation and urge the PHSO to consider potential mitigations for any real-term reductions to its budget for 2023–
Government Response Summary
The PHSO is absorbing an increase in demand and managing inflationary pressures by implementing the 2022-25 Corporate Strategy to drive efficiencies in the casework process and enhance the service, as well as reviewing corporate functions to release resources.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
PHSO is absorbing an increase in demand for our service. In the first half of 2021–22 enquiries to our service were 28% higher than during the same period in 2018–19. This is 8% above already anticipated increases funded through our settlement under the Comprehensive Spending Review. Our resources are also subject to cumulative inflationary pressures of £1.5m above the 2.5% agreed in the CSR settlement in 2023–24. PHSO’s plans for implementing the 2022–25 Corporate Strategy will drive efficiencies in the casework process as well as enhancing our service and ensuring that we are user- focussed in approach. To implement PHSO’s 2022–25 strategy, we are planning to: • Increase efficiency and improve capability to flex and respond to demand; • Introduce new mechanisms to allow us to respond appropriately to increases in demand; • Identify and progress systemic cases that may affect a wide number of people, recommending action that will put things right sooner, so people do not need to complain; • Implement technological solutions to improve service delivery, such as direct digital (online) access and updates, and digital recording and transcribing telephone calls; • Adapt the casework process to be more user-focused in the way we interact with service users, including direct input to process and policies; • Further manage demand through our work with organisations on embedding the Complaints Standards, which we expect to lead to more complaints being resolved locally and not needing to come to the Ombudsman. We are also reviewing corporate functions this year, including benchmarking against similar organisations, to look at how we can release resources to support delivery of casework. All of these initiatives should drive significant efficiencies.