SCOAF held its biggest Symposium reviewing the Service Complaints system and their own performance in 2024. The day also included a keynote speech from Minister for the Armed Forces, Luke Pollard MP who praised the work of SCOAF and the Services and welcomed the forthcoming Armed Forces Commissioner.
This was SCOAF’s sixth Symposium, and potentially last in its current form, following last year’s announcement that a new Armed Forces Commissioner (AFC) would be established. With that in mind, the theme for this year’s Symposium focused on the future – what the AFC may bring, and how the Service Complaints element will continue to evolve and be assessed.
The event built upon the successes and feedback from last year’s event with a packed half-day programme. This included workshops and a panel discussion, as well as presentations from SCOAF staff and a keynote speaker.
Attendees were welcomed from a wide range of stakeholders, including the Services, Service charities, and other support and complaint resolution organisations. This was the most heavily attended Symposium and largest one that has been held to date.
Networking provided all attendees with the opportunity to meet new people, share ideas and raise concerns. This year there was a greater emphasis on networking with the introduction of a speed networking session. In this, all attendees were encouraged to introduce and talk to someone they did not know.
This year’s symposium was opened by our keynote speaker, Luke Pollard MP, Minister for the Armed Forces. His presentation encompassed a range of topics, from inappropriate behaviours, the AFC, Service Complaints and the new Tri-Service Complaints Unit. He spoke about the importance of inclusion and acceptance, not just in the Services but everyday life. He emphasised that while the number of people wishing to join the Services was high, there are still blockers in the recruitment process which need to be removed to ensure that those people are getting into the Services. The Minister was engaging and open. He also provided an opportunity for the attendees to ask questions.
The Ombudsman presented on the Service Complaints system. 2024 saw 63% of Service Complaints completed within 24 weeks. The average resolution time was 21 weeks and there was a 6% increase in admissible complaints Tri-Service. While the Ombudsman could not say that the Service Complaints system was efficient, effective or fair, she stressed that significant improvements had been made. Some of these improvements include the introduction of the My Complaint App, the creation of Central Admissibility Teams, quality dip sampling, improved outreach and training.
“While the Service Complaints system is still not efficient, effective or fair, significant improvements have been made. With work ongoing to implement outstanding recommendations, a continued collaborative relationship with the Services and the creation of the Armed Forces Commissioner in 2026, the building blocks are in place for a positive future, provided we remain focussed and don’t lose sight that people are at the heart of everything we do”
Mariette Hughes, Ombudsman.
SCOAF’s Chief Operating Officer, Tariq Khan provided an overview of the organisation’s successes throughout 2024 and reported outstanding results. This included exceeding its KPIs and achieving an overall timeliness figure of 99% and the eradication of its unallocated case backlog. This was attributed to the refining and streamlining of processes, consistency of approach and the dedication and enthusiasm of all SCOAF staff.
Following the presentations, attendees had been allocated to one of three workshop sessions delivered by Mariette Hughes, Tariq Khan and Stephen Clancy (Senior Investigator). These were designed to offer the opportunity for stakeholders to engage on specific areas of interest, and to enable SCOAF to gather a wide range of insights and contributions. This year’s workshop sessions focused on:
- Armed Forces Commissioner – looking to the future.
- Behaviours - Zero Tolerance Policy.
- A review of SCOAF’s work – What value can SCOAF add going forward?
Feedback from these sessions was positive, engaging with a broad range of knowledge, experience and useful insights. This feedback was recorded and will be reviewed with actions for SCOAF to take forward.
The day concluded with a panel discussion and Q&A led by Mariette Hughes and joined by Sam des Forges, Director of Conduct, Equity and Justice (Ministry of Defence) and Julie Grugel, Deputy Director Delivery Programmes (Ministry of Defence). This was an informative discussion, evoking several questions from the floor.
Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to the successful event.