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Ombudsman Peter Tyndall
There are many different models of Ombudsman office in existence across the world as the institution has evolved from its original roots in Scandinavia and the public service. Ombudsman institutions now operate at national and regional level in many countries and, as is well known in the UK, the concept has also taken root in the private sector, offering independent redress to consumers.
The IOI has recently been consulting on a best practice paper which is particularly apposite in a Welsh context. It’s called Developing and reforming Ombudsman institutions - An IOI guide for those undertaking these tasks. It is due to be formally adopted by the IOI at its General Assembly next month.
In most regards, the PSOW is entirely compliant with the best practice guidance. It meets the requirements for independence, for powers, for appointment, removal, term of office and so on. However, there are some aspects where there is scope to further align the PSOW with international standards. One of these is access, and others have spoken of this today. The other is in the context of own initiative investigation.
The paper says that “The Ombudsman should be able to undertake investigations on his or her own initiative. On occasions, the Ombudsman will be made or become aware of possible maladministration where no complaint has been made. The reasons for this can include a reluctance on the part of complainants to come forward for fear of negative consequences or because the people concerned do not have ready access to the Ombudsman. Such investigations often consider systemic issues and ensure that the Ombudsman can be effective in tackling poor administration and improving public services.”
Ombudsmen can deliver real improvements to public services by identifying shortcomings and ensuring they are addressed. Whether though investigating complaints, or investigating though the use of own initiative powers, the Ombudsman can help to deliver cost savings by eliminating expensive systemic failure and reducing the need for costly litigation.
Source: Office of the Ombudsman - Ireland
