November 12th-16th is National Anti-Bullying Week. It is a week dedicated to talking about the effects of bullying and strategies to stop it. As the Service Complaints Ombudsman for the Armed Forces, many of the complaints dealt with by my office concern allegations of bullying.
Continue readingThe end of October brings Black History Month to a close for another year. What began in 1987 as a niche interest in direct response to the climate at the time is now a nationally recognised event, celebrated and endorsed across the political divide and by the Royal Navy, British Army and RAF.
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Mental health issues aren’t rare. In fact, 1 in 4 people in the UK will experience mental health ill health each year. So why aren’t we talking about it more? As part of the #timetochange pledge, my office is actively working to change how we think, talk and act about mental health. While this is […]
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Blog,Education,Ombudsman's powers,Service complaints
In my first Annual Report as Service Complaints Ombudsman, one of the recommendations I made concerned the importance of training and education on the Service complaints system at all levels. It was a recommendation that I made after receiving feedback from a number of personnel who felt there wasn’t enough training on this issue. While work on this recommendation is still continuing, I wanted to let you know more about what we have been doing and why I think education in this area is so important.
Continue readingThere are time limits for making a Service complaint and also for making an application to my office. These time limits are set in law. Complaints that are made outside of those time limits can still be accepted if it considered “just and equitable”. But what does that actually mean?
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An Ombudsman’s office is the place people turn to when things go wrong. Whether they want information about how they can address their complaints, or want an investigation, there is an expectation that the Ombudsman can and will help in a timely manner. However, those expectations may not be met when that office is experiencing a backlog. This is the current situation in my office.
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9ICOAF took place in London in 2017 and was co-hosted by the Service Complaints Ombudsman for the Armed Forces of the UK. It focused on how ombuds institutions can act as a moral compass of the armed forces and engender positive change.
Continue readingAs the Service Complaints Ombudsman for the Armed Forces, I am appointed by the Crown for a single term of 5 years. Having started the role in January 2016, this month marks the halfway point in my term. In my blog this month, I reflect on what we have achieved so far and what I hope to achieve before the end of my term.
Continue readingThis week is Volunteers’ Week in the UK. It is an annual event that provides an opportunity to recognise the contribution that volunteers make to society. Volunteering is something that is strongly encouraged within the OSCO by myself and my senior management team. In my first blog for June, I will be sharing with you why I believe volunteering is so important and how it benefits our office.
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The Office of the Service Complaints Ombudsman (OSCO) is a learning organisation. That means that as we grow and develop, we strive to improve the way we do things. This applies to all areas of our work – including how we tell people who we are and what we do. In my last blog for May, I will be sharing with you what we have done and will be doing over the coming year to improve our communication with you.
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