Source · Select Committees · Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee
Recommendation 10
10
Deferred
Require government to reconsider PHSO legislative reform and set out plans before election
Recommendation
We renew our call for legislative reform of the PHSO, the principle of which enjoys widespread support among stakeholders and the ombudsmen that would be directly affected. The PHSO have outlined to us some concrete examples of the operational issues that are being caused, and exacerbated over time, by the lack of reform. Reforms are long overdue, and we do not agree with the Government that this is not an urgent issue; rather it has been neglected too long and further delay is no longer tenable. The Government should reconsider its position on reforms and set out its plans, ahead of the general election. It should consult with a wide variety of stakeholders, including different ombudsmen, parliamentarians and PHSO service users. All political parties should include a commitment to reforming the legislation relating to the PHSO in their upcoming manifestos ahead of the next General Election, coupled with a commitment to introduce such legislation early in the next Parliament. (Paragraph 58) Impact on other organisations
Government Response Summary
The government's response did not address legislative reform for the PHSO. Instead, it outlined lessons learned and best practices adopted from international collaborations, such as the Canadian 'Complaints Champions' model, 'roadshows' based on Dutch and Western Australian approaches, and a learning exchange on mediation with the Israeli Ombudsman.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
PHSO is well respected in the international ombuds community and has played a leading role in delivering joint activities such as the publication of ‘The Art of the Ombudsman: Leadership Through International Crisis’. The majority of our work with international colleagues involves us sharing our best practice and expertise and learning from the experiences of others to improve our own service. include: • adopting the Canadian Ombudsman’s ‘Complaints Champions’ model of engagement where individuals who already have social capital within many underserved and underrepresented populations (e.g. faith leaders, social prescribers and youth workers) are trained on how to effectively navigate the complex complaints landscape; • adopting the principles of the Dutch and Western Australian ombudsman approaches to ‘roadshows’. These provide an opportunity for the Ombudsman Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman Scrutiny 2022–23: Government and PHSO response 11 to visit various community groups and MPs to learn more about the issues faced by residents and seldom heard communities when using public services. Most recently, we held such events in Stockton-on-Tees and Bristol; and, • organising a learning exchange focusing on mediation with the Israeli Ombudsman who are more advanced in this particular area. We have also co-hosted the launch of the European International Ombudsman Institute (IOI) learning academy in partnership with the IOI and the national ombudsman offices of Greece and the Netherlands. This conference was held in Manchester attended by 30 international ombuds with a further 60 IOI colleagues joining virtually. Building on the success of the Manchester Memorandum in 2021, this PHSO organised event marked a new chapter in ombudsman learning with the launch of the European Learning Academy.