Un-answered lettrs

Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman did not have the information requested.

Dear Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman,

In a previous request I asked what policy’s set out when Dame Julia will or will not answer letters written to her.

I was told there is no such policy.

The PHSO's Code of Conduct states at 2.3 that it's officers must behave with integrity.

2.3. Integrity – We are open, honest and straight forward in all our dealings, and use time, money and resources effectively by:
• being consistent and transparent in all our actions and decisions;
• taking responsibility for our actions and holding ourselves
accountable for all that we do;
• treating people fairly.

Please tell me how 2 .3 can be thought of as treating people fairy when it appears to be a random matter if members of the public will or will not be answered.

Letters to Dame Julia or her senior staff still are answered randomly or not at all.

Please tell me if there is a policy on what happens when there is no consistency in the implementation of the code of conduct? If not how is consistency achieved?

How does PHSO hold itself to accountable?

Yours faithfully,

Brenda Prentice

foiofficer@ombudsman.org.uk, Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman


Thank you for your e-mail to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. This return e-mail shows that we have received your correspondence.

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All email communications with PHSO pass through the Government Secure Intranet, and may be automatically logged, monitored and/or recorded for legal purposes.
The MessageLabs Anti Virus Service is the first managed service to achieve the CSIA Claims Tested Mark (CCTM Certificate Number 2006/04/0007), the UK Government quality mark initiative for information security products and services. For more information about this please visit www.cctmark.gov.uk

[Name Removed] (Account suspended) left an annotation ()

Brenda,..It looks like no senior officer will even RECEIPT an email any more.....let alone answer a letter.

:::

If you want to complain against a botched complaint, no senior officer wants to know.

So exactiy where do you send it?

As no address is given at the end of a email pointing out the illogicalities that a caseworker has made?

So presumably you have to send it back to the caseworker....

Once again, the PHSO become 'locked' into a negative bureaucratic process,' as the external investigator on my upheld complaint stated.

So..so much for the passing PHSO's 'Transparent and Open ' phase.

It seems to have thrust itself backwards with a vengeance - to a new 'Treat Them with Contempt' phase.

:::::

However, the fact that the PHSO can not be bothered to receipt emails can be brought to the attention of PASC, later in the year.

As Mick Martin said, in evidence to PASC last year -

Q40 Chair: However, if you reopen a case, having closed and dismissed it, and then come to a different determination, somewhere there needs to be, “I’m sorry; we got that wrong.”

Mick Martin: For me that is a thing that we take as a leadership task. I am spending lots of time talking to people who feel that we have not provided a good service, often where I have taken the decision that we need to change the decision that we have made or the service that we have provided. * Of course, it starts with the person‑to‑person recognition that this change or this service has had real impact on them, but it is also being willing to change course, do things in a different way and reach a different decision.

http://data.parliament.uk/writtenevidenc...

*Unfortunately he didn't tell the committee that he won't answer emails....or even receipt them, so the chances of having much 'personal impact' is severely reduced.

D. Speers left an annotation ()

Thank you for this FOI request Brenda Prentice......like you I have unanswered correspondence to Dame Julie Mellor (one letter adds fundamental new evidence to my "unresolved" complaint) But alas no acknowledgement.
PHSO system certainly is shambolic and we pay out £m for this!!

D. Speers left an annotation ()

PHSO Code of Conduct policy seems as aspirational as her 6 Principles. Although "endorsed" by many Public bodies they are rarely, if ever, implemented!
"The dressing is still all in the window and nothing is in the room!"

Dear Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman,

This request of 27th Sept is over due. Please respond.

Yours faithfully,

Brenda Prentice

foiofficer@ombudsman.org.uk, Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman


Thank you for your e-mail to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. This return e-mail shows that we have received your correspondence.

show quoted sections

All email communications with PHSO pass through the Government Secure Intranet, and may be automatically logged, monitored and/or recorded for legal purposes.
The MessageLabs Anti Virus Service is the first managed service to achieve the CSIA Claims Tested Mark (CCTM Certificate Number 2006/04/0007), the UK Government quality mark initiative for information security products and services. For more information about this please visit www.cctmark.gov.uk

foiofficer, Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

Dear Ms Prentice

 

Thank you for your email of 27 September 2015.  I apologise we have not
been in touch with you sooner. 

 

I note that your request for information asks for an opinion, rather than
recorded information.  As such, I can confirm that the Parliamentary and
Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) does not hold any recorded information on
the subject.  In line with section 1 of the Freedom of Information Act,
there are no documents I can provide you with on the subject.

 

That being said, I can tell you that PHSO is accountable to the
Parliamentary and Constitutional Affairs Committee.  More information on
this subject is contained at
[1]http://www.ombudsman.org.uk/about-us/who....

 

You may also find it helpful to see the response provided here:
[2]https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/c....

 

Finally, more information about our internal complaints process is also
available on our website here:
[3]http://www.ombudsman.org.uk/make-a-compl....

 

Regards

 

David Thomas

FOI/Data Protection Officer

Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

E: [4][email address]

W: [5]www.ombudsman.org.uk

 

 

 

 

show quoted sections

All email communications with PHSO pass through the Government Secure
Intranet, and may be automatically logged, monitored and/or recorded for
legal purposes.
The MessageLabs Anti Virus Service is the first managed service to achieve
the CSIA Claims Tested Mark (CCTM Certificate Number 2006/04/0007), the UK
Government quality mark initiative for information security products and
services. For more information about this please visit www.cctmark.gov.uk

References

Visible links
1. http://www.ombudsman.org.uk/about-us/who...
2. https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/c...
3. http://www.ombudsman.org.uk/make-a-compl...
4. mailto:[email address]
5. http://www.ombudsman.org.uk/
http://www.ombudsman.org.uk/

[Name Removed] (Account suspended) left an annotation ()

It's probably the biggest grumble that complaints gave,

The inability of senior officers to get a grip.... And respond.

Sometimes they do.

But mostly not.

And yet the PHSO is stating that's it's an 'opinion' as to WHY complaints don't get responses?

The fact is that you have to get a complex complaint to a senior officer - before it's understood.

D. Speers left an annotation ()

Am still waiting for replies from PHSO too!

D. Moore left an annotation ()

My experience of the PHSO answering letters has not been a good one. My original complaint form was lost ('presumed destroyed') and I did not receive two letters that I should have. I could go on and on, but the latest failure concerns a lack of response to a letter I sent complaining about the PHSO decision (service complaints included). A Subject Access Request (SAR) has confirmed that my letter of complaint dated 26 August 2015 was received by the PHSO (sent it by recorded delivery) but that is all. Is it normal for Customer Care not to contact complainants for at least two months? The case history notes do not reveal that Customer Service have even got my letter. Full details can be viewed here:

https://phsocomplaint.wordpress.com/

I hope it helps prepare people considering using the PHSO for the reality they face.

[Name Removed] (Account suspended) left an annotation ()

This is the process that PHSO employees are supposed to follow.

Warning to those if a nervous disposition.

It may not reflect your 'PHSO Customer Journey Experience' in any meaningful way

Try to remain call at all times.

http://www.ombudsman.org.uk/__data/asset...

Dear foiofficer,

I asked:

Please tell me if there is a policy on what happens when there is
no consistency in the implementation of the code of conduct?
If not how is consistency achieved?

How does PHSO hold itself to accountable?

My question is, under Code of Conduct 2.3 which says,

* Being consistent and transparent in all our actions and decision
* taking responsibility for our actions and holding ourselves accountable for all that we do.
* treat people fairly

Please answer how PHSO is taking responsibility for 'OUR ACTIONS'. This does not mean PASC, it means PHSO?

It is not transparent to me how this is done.

How does PHSO judge what is treating people fairly? What measure does it use? Is there a policy.

Yours sincerely,

Brenda Prentice

foiofficer@ombudsman.org.uk, Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman


Thank you for your e-mail to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. This return e-mail shows that we have received your correspondence.

show quoted sections

All email communications with PHSO pass through the Government Secure Intranet, and may be automatically logged, monitored and/or recorded for legal purposes.
The MessageLabs Anti Virus Service is the first managed service to achieve the CSIA Claims Tested Mark (CCTM Certificate Number 2006/04/0007), the UK Government quality mark initiative for information security products and services. For more information about this please visit www.cctmark.gov.uk

Whiting Luke, Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

1 Attachment

 

Dear Mrs Prentice

 

Your information request: FDN-239673

 

Thank you for your email in which you have asked if there is a policy ‘on
what happens when there is no consistency in the implementation of the
code of conduct’, ‘how PHSO holds itself accountable’, and for a policy
relating to ‘treating people fairly’.

 

For the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 I can confirm that
we do not hold any one policy about these issues.

 

Rather, how we hold ourselves accountable, ensure we treat people fairly,
and act in line with our values is reflected across our governance and
casework policies found online as part of our Publication Scheme at the
following address:
[1]www.ombudsman.org.uk/about-us/being-open-and-transparent/our-publication-scheme/our-policies-and-procedures.
I’ve also attached for information PHSO’s quality and service standards
which you may find helpful to see.

 

Also available at our website, is information about how to provide
feedback about our service and our annual report
([2]www.ombudsman.org.uk/pdfs/publication-scheme/annual-reports-and-resource-accounts/annual-reports/FINAL_PHSO_Annual_Report_2014-15_SINGLE_PAGES_low_res.pdf)
provides more detail about how we use that feedback to improve and develop
our service. Information about the development of our customer service
charter is also available on our website here:
www.ombudsman.org.uk/about-us/our-blog/h...

 

Also available on our website is information about our governance process,
organisational structures, areas of responsibility and accountability, as
well as information about our audit processes.

 

All of this corporate, publically available information, addresses
directly and indirectly the questions you’ve asked.

 

I hope this additional information is helpful. However, if you are unhappy
with my response you are entitled to request an internal review.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

Luke Whiting

Head of Freedom of Information and Data Protection

Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

 

From: Gasston Aimee
Sent: 19 November 2015 16:54
To: Whiting Luke
Subject: FW: Freedom of Information request - Incompetent and Inadequate
Complaint Handling

 

 

show quoted sections

All email communications with PHSO pass through the Government Secure
Intranet, and may be automatically logged, monitored and/or recorded for
legal purposes.
The MessageLabs Anti Virus Service is the first managed service to achieve
the CSIA Claims Tested Mark (CCTM Certificate Number 2006/04/0007), the UK
Government quality mark initiative for information security products and
services. For more information about this please visit www.cctmark.gov.uk

References

Visible links
1. http://www.ombudsman.org.uk/about-us/bei...
2. http://www.ombudsman.org.uk/pdfs/publica...

Brenda Prentice left an annotation ()

Dear Luke,

I have read what you have directed me to and I have not found it consistent with what actually happens.

Please send this to your reviewer, as it is not what happens.

Like so many other people's experience, many of my communications are simply ignored but your web site says this is not the case. This is inconsistent.

Dame Julie does not respond and she does not tell her minions to respond on her behalf.

So your website does not tell me what I want to know and nether do you.