Annual Report Shows Progress Being Made

The Office of the Ombudsman says its recommendations have resulted in changes to government policies, procedures and actions in service delivery and fairness.

In the office's 2008-09 annual report released today, Nov. 12, Ombudsman Dwight Bishop said although there is still work to be done, his office continues to work collaboratively with government to resolve the majority of complaints.

"The response to our office and recommendations has generally been good," said Mr. Bishop. "I am also pleased to see a number of government departments and agencies requesting our input on policy development and complaint-processing methods."

The main focus of the office is to address individual and systemic complaints. Success is measured by the government's level of acceptance and implementation of the office's recommendations. In 2008-09, all but one of its 27 recommendations were accepted.

Last year, the office addressed a total of 2,170 complaints, inquiries, and reviews. Those under the office's jurisdiction were 1,698, about four per cent more than last year. Twenty inquiries related to disclosures of wrongdoing were also reviewed.

"We think the increase is a reflection of greater awareness of our office and our role," said Mr. Bishop. "Over the past couple of years we have taken a very pro-active approach to ensure Nova Scotians know we are here to help government work better."

This year, the office reached about 3,700 people through its outreach efforts, with a focus on youth in care and custody. It included about 650 presentations, information sessions, meetings, community and site visits and information booths. This is an increase of 37 per cent from last year.

"As systemic issues continue to be addressed by government departments and agencies, we hope to see the number of concerns decrease," Mr. Bishop said.

Other highlights from the annual report included examples of systemic investigations initiated by the office, an improvement in the length of time for completing investigations, and the development of new standards for the secure storage of records off-site.

The complete annual report is available on the Office of the Ombudsman website at www.gov.ns.ca/ombu .

The Office of the Ombudsman fosters confidence in the public service by promoting the principles of fairness, integrity and good governance. It reviews concerns related to government services and organizations by the general public, youth, and senior citizens. The office also investigates disclosures of wrongdoing within the provincial government.