British Ombudsman Association Gets Introspective for 2017 Conference

The professional association for Classical Ombudsmen in the UK, Ireland, and British dependencies has posted the agenda for its annual conference. Set for May 25-26 at the Burleigh Court Conference Hotel at Loughborough University, the theme is, "Holding Up a Mirror."

Here is the program:

Thursday 25th May

Welcome to Conference, Kieran FitzGerald, Ombudsman Association Chair

Opening Address: How to get the best from your conference, Donal Galligan, Director, Ombudsman Association

Key Note: Taking the time to reflect, Linnea Gandhi and Tom Blaser, and a presentation from Peter Tyndall, President of the International Ombudsman Institute

Lunch

Plenary Session: Being customer focused, Caroline Wayman, Financial Ombudsman Service

Workshop Sessions A

• Measuring performance
• Increasing impact
• Listening to customers: improving frontline services
• Consistency in casework: quality assurance
• Apples, pears and oranges: comparing and raising standards, Chris Gill & Naomi Creutzfeldt

Plenary Session: More than one way to skin a cat, Anthony Arter, Pensions Ombudsman, and the Financial Services Ombudsman Bureau

Dinner

After Dinner Speaker: Sir Emyr Jones Parry, Former UK Ambassador to the United Nations, Permanent Representative to NATO, and Political Director of the Foreign Office 

Friday 26th May

Workshop Sessions B

• Vulnerability defining and recognizing, Cosmo Graham, University of Leicester
• Ombudsman Ethics
• Making services more accessible
• Consistency in casework: quality assurance

Workshop Sessions C

• Mental health: user engagement, Mark Hashimi, Mind
• Data Protection: changing landscape, Information Commissioner’s
• Incorporating Human Rights, Equality & Human Rights Commission
• Measuring performance
• Increasing impact 

Lunch

Plenary Session: Creating the culture to succeed, Carolyn Hirst, Queen Margaret University, and Mick King, Local Government Ombudsman

Closing address

Registration for the conference is now open. (OA 2017 Conf Info.)

Related posts: BIOA Offering Ombuds Training and Certification;  British and Irish Ombuds to Meet This Week in Wales;  British and Irish Ombudsman Association Holds Annual Meeting in Belfast; British and Irish Ombudsman Association Rebrands as the Ombudsman Association; Ombudsman Association Publishes 2011-12 Annual Report.