Paula Sussex to give evidence on the PHSO’s future direction
Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) Paula Sussex will appear before the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee (PACAC) next Tuesday morning.
She will be questioned alongside the organisation’s Chief Executive Officer, Rebecca Hilsenrath KC (Hon), on the future direction of the PHSO ahead of the publication of its five-year corporate strategy which is due to be published next month.
The organisation is expected to receive over 43,000 complaints in 2025/26, a 23% increase from the previous year. From April 2025, the PHSO adopted a ‘Public Value Model’, where complaints that are likely to drive improvements in public services are prioritised. The Committee is likely to ask about the effectiveness of this approach and the organisation’s capacity to cope with anticipated increases in demand, while still delivering justice for individual complainants.
Meeting details
The Committee’s questions will also be informed by PACAC’s survey into the public's experiences of using the PHSO.