Source · Select Committees · Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee
Third Report - Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman Scrutiny 2022–23
Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee
HC 198
Published 4 March 2024
Recommendations
12
Accepted
Para 68
Publish PHSO Complaint Standards training proportions and targets for NHS and government staff
Recommendation
We welcome the progress that has been made in developing and rolling out Complaint Standards for the UK Government and the NHS. These Standards have the potential to improve the quality of public services and the handling of complaints. Ensuring …
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Government Response Summary
The PHSO reports that over 1,248 NHS learners registered and over 720 people from 145 NHS organisations completed training courses by April 2024. It also states that bespoke training for government departments is being tested and expected to launch by June 2024.
Conclusions (3)
1
Conclusion
Accepted
Para 13
We have heard praise of the PHSO’s handling of casework, but we have also received evidence of concerns with some aspects of its service provision. The PHSO told us that it would reflect on the concerns about the service it provided to people with disabilities while outlining the measures it …
Government Response Summary
The PHSO committed to implementing disability awareness training for all staff in 2024-25, reviewing its house style and language guide for accessibility improvements, and leveraging its DDaT strategy to better understand and tailor services for disabled and elderly complainants.
3
Conclusion
Accepted
Para 17
We do not accept the Ombudsman’s argument that we would have been critical of the PHSO for setting lower, yet more realistic, targets for case resolution. The setting of unrealistic targets leads to them being missed, and draws unwarranted criticism where realistic targets would not do so. Rather, we are …
Government Response Summary
The government states its current case resolution targets are based on best practice and are achievable, citing pre-pandemic performance. It indicates it will only reflect on KPIs and consider a review in the event of another significant impact on productivity.
4
Conclusion
Accepted
We welcome the increase in the number of cases resolved by mediation and PHSO’s ambition to widen the range of cases resolved by mediation in 2023/24. The PHSO stressed that the cultural attitudes of stakeholders, notably in the NHS, were a barrier to increasing the number of cases resolved through …
Government Response Summary
The government confirms it maintained the number of cases resolved by mediation and widened the types of cases in 2023-24. It commits to providing a further update on mediation prior to the Committee's next inquiry.