Source · Select Committees · Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee
Recommendation 35
35
Accepted
We also welcome the PHSO’s efforts to engage with MPs and their staff on the...
Recommendation
We also welcome the PHSO’s efforts to engage with MPs and their staff on the use of its services, but we believe that still more could be done in this space. The PHSO should increase its engagement with staff based in MPs’ constituency offices in particular to improve awareness of its services amongst those who deal directly with referrals, including providing relevant training on mediation services. (Paragraph 103) 40 Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman Scrutiny 2021–22 7 Priorities for Scrutiny As in our previous reports, this section sets out the Committee’s priorities for scrutiny of the PHSO for the year 2021–22. Table 2: Areas of scrutiny Area of scrutiny Example of expected Areas of particular interest evidence PHSO Corporate Strategy Written evidence from the Organisational priorities, for 2022–25 PHSO and service users. and how these compare to previous years. PHSO Corporate Strategy Delivery of the Strategy, PHSO Business Plan assessed alongside the annual Business Plan and Peer Review Report Covid-19 recovery. PHSO casework Casework and staff data Impact of Covid-19 on performance in the Annual Report and service delivery and Accounts casework management. Service Charter scores Quantity, quality, and timeliness of investigations. Written evidence from service users and Implementation of the organisations casework improvement programme Peer Review Report Mediation capabilities Changes in Service Charter scores Staff management and Staff survey scores Numbers of staff and training turnover Written evidence from the PHSO Training opportunities available to staff Annual Report and Accounts, employee data Staff views on learning and including diversity development Diversity of the workforce Use of clinical advice Value for money PHSO Annual Report and Findings of the Peer Review Accounts Changes in budget and Peer Review Report spending Written evidence from Impact of hybrid working PHSO and service users Modernisation and reform Parliamentary and Healt
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the PACAC's role in encouraging engagement and are piloting activities with MPs' offices, including bespoke training and constituency visits based on feedback from a recent event, and will report back to PACAC on the impact of this work during the next scrutiny inquiry.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
We welcome PACAC taking an active role in encouraging MPs and their staff to work even closer with us. We are grateful to PACAC for sponsoring the successful event held in Parliament in April 2023, where we met with more than 40 MPs and Parliamentary and constituency staff. We used the event to learn more from MPs and their staff about what they would like to see from PHSO. Most were interested in taking up our offer of staff training on the Ombudsman’s role and how we work. MPs’ staff also told us they wanted to know more about PHSO’s mediation service and what kinds of cases may be suitable for mediation. MPs and their staff were also interested in PHSO attending constituency surgeries to help provide advice and support to constituents who have concerns. Using this insight, we are now looking to pilot activities with MPs’ offices, including the design of bespoke training and constituency visits. We will report back to PACAC on the impact of this work during the next scrutiny inquiry. We would welcome PACAC’s support in continuing to promote our offer of engagement throughout the year, and in sponsoring future events in Parliament.