The legal ombudsman’s office has hit back at suggestions it has ignored ongoing challenges, after criticism from union officials. The Public and Commercial Services Union last week said the complaints service was in ‘disarray’ and accused its leaders of a ‘complete failure to grasp the serious and significant concerns’ of staff.

A key element of the dispute appears to be the ombudsman’s refusal to recognise a trade union, and the PCS threatened to launch a formal recognition campaign to force the issue.

The organisation has told the Gazette that it does not recognise any union, but says it has other ways of engaging with staff, including a staff council and staff networks who can speak directly to senior management. This arrangement, the ombudsman said, allows it to engage with a representation of all people across the organisation.

A spokesperson for LeO said it had been ‘open and transparent’ about the challenges faced in recent years and published a detailed review last year which addressed the resourcing issues being experienced and high staff turnover.

Legal Ombudsman

The ombudsman has responded to criticism that it fails to grasp staff concerns

Source: Jonathan Goldberg

The spokesperson said: ‘Over the last year we have worked continuously to engage with our people, listen to their ideas and suggestions for improvement, and, together, deliver new ways of working.

‘As a result, we have stabilised the organisation, delivered on performance targets for five consecutive months and are on course to deliver 32% more customer outcomes in 2021/22.

‘Staff productivity has been increasing across the year, and investigation times are 16% quicker than at the beginning of 2021/22. A successful national recruitment campaign will see 40 new investigators join the organisation this month. This will enable us to deliver even more for customers in 2022/23.’

The PCS said problems continue to exist, including high staff turnover, personnel shortages and stress in the workplace. This is at a time when the backlog of unopened cases approaches 6,000 and the legal ombudsman is working under the threat of being replaced if performance does not improve.

The ombudsman said the suggestion it was unaware of its issues or unwilling to address them was ‘disappointing and misleading’.

The spokesperson added: ‘It is a position which is out of touch with the discussions the OLC and the legal ombudsman have been having openly with our people and our stakeholders over the last year.’

 

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