Advisory Board

To enhance the governance of PHSO, improve the transparency with which it operates and bolster the independence of the role, the Ombudsman has appointed a non-statutory PHSO Advisory Board, comprising external members and herself as Chair.

Advisory Board members

Advisory Board minutes

Terms of reference

The main role of the Advisory Board is to act as a 'critical friend', lending support and advice to the Ombudsman in providing leadership and good governance of PHSO, as set out in PHSO's Governance Statement. The Board also brings an external perspective to assist in the development of policy and practice.
 
The Advisory Board provides specific advice and support to the Ombudsman on:

  • Purpose, vision and values;
  • Strategic direction and planning;
  • Accountability to stakeholders including stewardship of public funds;
  • Internal control and risk management arrangements.

The Advisory Board is an advisory only body to the Ombudsman, and does not make decisions in its own right.
 
The Board:

i. assists the Ombudsman in establishing:

  • Organisation aims and purpose;
  • Ethics and values;
  • Governance arrangements, including Terms of Reference of any sub-committees;
  • Strategic direction;
  • Strategic priorities, objectives and targets;
  • Key business policies;
  • Key employment strategies and policies.

ii. scrutinises and assures:

  • The FourYear Strategic Plan and the Annual Corporate Business Plan;
  • Funding submission to the Treasury;
  • High level budget allocation;
  • Resource accounts;
  • Capital investment/contracts (over £1m).

iii. monitors and reviews:

  • Risk and internal control;
  • Operational performance and delivery;
  • Financial performance;
  • Effectiveness of employment strategies and policies;
  • Diversity and equal opportunities;
  • External communications strategies and stakeholder relations;
  • Health and safety and business continuity.

Membership

Membership will comprise:

  • Ombudsman (Chair, Chief Executive and Accounting Officer)
  • Up to four external members (one of whom shall be from another Ombudsman office; and the others shall be external appointees who offer specific skills and experience sought by the Ombudsman).

Executive Board members are not formally members of the PHSO Advisory Board but will be in attendance at its meetings.

Meetings

Meetings will be held six times a year, four of which will be timed to enable consideration of the Quarterly Performance Reports, and two of which will be timed to enable consideration of more strategic issues, and to include briefing sessions on developments externally and internally.  A quorum shall be a minimum of three members, one of whom shall be the Ombudsman.

Minutes will be taken by the Ombudsman’s Private Office and, following approval at the next Board meeting, will be published as decided by the Ombudsman.

Sub-committees

The PHSO Advisory Board will be supported by two sub-committees:

The terms of reference of these Committees will be published as decided by the Ombudsman.

Review of PHSO Advisory Board Terms of Reference

The PHSO Advisory Board Terms of Reference will be reviewed on a biannual basis from March 2010

 

Date: March 2010