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Behrens, Rob --- "Ombudsman values – a guide to practice" [2018] ELECD 1078; in Hertogh, Marc; Kirkham, Richard (eds), "Research Handbook on the Ombudsman" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2018) 457

Book Title: Research Handbook on the Ombudsman

Editor(s): Hertogh, Marc; Kirkham, Richard

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

ISBN: 9781786431240

Section: Chapter 24

Section Title: Ombudsman values – a guide to practice

Author(s): Behrens, Rob

Number of pages: 17

Abstract/Description:

2017 marked the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration and later rebranded the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO). There is no attempt here to summarise the history of the last 50 years, but the chapter is a reflection on some of the founding principles in order to locate a modest and tentative view of the future direction of an important part of our constitutional framework. The office as currently constituted is in need of transformation. This chapter begins by looking at the main design principles prompting and underpinning the 1967 legislation. It will then note briefly the well-rehearsed, significant, changes to the context of public policy in the intervening period – decline of deference and public trust, rise in user expectations and demand, fiscal crisis – and comment on what these mean concretely for PHSO in terms of inquiries and investigations, spending cuts, user involvement and skills sets. The chapter then turns to the current position of PHSO and how to respond.