WIREDGOV

The Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee has today published its report following our 2022-23 scrutiny session.

We are pleased that the Committee recognised the increase in complaints that have been resolved by mediation and called for Government to support our efforts in this. We also appreciate their commendation of our work to spread best practice in resolving cases by mediation among other organisations both in the UK and internationally.

We welcome the Committee highlighting our continued investment in staff training, the ongoing success of our Complaint Standards guidance for NHS and Government organisations, and reduction of the backlog of cases due to COVID-19.

We are pleased to see the Committee’s support for reform of our outdated legislative framework and their call for Government to reconsider its position and consult with stakeholders ahead of the General Election. We agree with their sentiment that reform has been ‘neglected’, is ‘long overdue’, and that ‘further delay is no longer tenable’. We support their call that all political parties should include commitment in their manifestos to enact this legislative reform.

The Committee highlighted areas for monitoring and improvement. We welcome this feedback as part of our commitment to continually improving our complaint handling. We will reflect on this learning and take appropriate action to make sure we deliver excellent service that is accessible to all while providing value for money. We will provide a full response to the Committee’s report in due course.