Chair writes to PHSO about delay to appointment of new Ombudsman
12 March 2024
The Chair of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee writes to Sir Alex Allan, the lead Non-Executive Board member of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO), to raise the issue of the delay in the appointment of the new Ombudsman, to succeed Rob Behrens in the role when his term of office ends on 31 March.
PACAC Chair, William Wragg, states that there is uncertainty as to how the organisation would operate in the absence of an Ombudsman in place on 1 April, and questions whether the PHSO would be in a position to take on new complaints and to make decisions about existing cases.
The letter asks the PHSO to clarify the implications for the organisation caused by a delay in the appointment of a permanent Ombudsman, any restrictions that might be faced by a temporary Ombudsman, and what the impacts on complainants would be.
The letter outlines that the recruitment process had been underway since October 2023 and the final interviews for the new Ombudsman took place on 8th January, with the interview panel’s recommendation for the PHSO submitted to the Prime Minister thereafter. However, the ensuing parliamentary procedure necessary to confirm the appointment of a new Ombudsman has not yet been carried out.
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Image: UK Parliamentary/Tyler Allicock