The Ombudsman
The post of Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman is held by Rebecca Hilsenrath.
Role of the Ombudsman
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (the Ombudsman) combines the two statutory roles of Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration (the Parliamentary Ombudsman) and Health Service Commissioner for England (Health Service Ombudsman), whose powers are set out in the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 and the Health Service Commissioners Act 1993 respectively.
The Ombudsman's role is to investigate complaints that individuals have been treated unfairly or have received poor service from government departments and other public organisations and the NHS in England.
The Director of Operations, Legal and Clinical, Karl Banister is authorised by the Ombudsman to act as Deputy Ombudsman.
About Rebecca Hilsenrath
Rebecca Hilsenrath was appointed as Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman and Chair of the organisation on 18 April 2024. She holds this role on a temporary basis while we await the appointment of a permanent Ombudsman, following the departure of Rob Behrens whose seven-year tenure ended in March 2023.
Prior to taking up the role of Ombudsman, Rebecca has been our Chief Executive Officer since June 2023 and before that was the Director of Strategy.
Before joining PHSO in 2021, Rebecca was Chief Legal Officer and then Chief Executive Officer of the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
Prior to that, after holding a number of roles in the then Government Legal Service, she was CEO of LawWorks (the Solicitors Pro Bono Group) for five years, a national charity facilitating free legal advice to community groups and individuals in need.
Rebecca trained as a lawyer and began her career at Linklaters. She set up the National Pro Bono Centre in Chancery Lane and has sat on the boards of a number of charities and advice agencies, including the Bar Pro Bono Unit and the Mary Ward Legal Centre. She holds two honorary doctorates awarded in recognition of services to law and is currently the Chair of Governors of the London Academy of Excellence in Tottenham, sponsored by Tottenham Hotspur Football Club and Highgate School.