Strategic plan

Office of the Health Ombudsman 2023–2027 Strategic Plan

Vision

A world class and trusted leader in health complaints management and regulation, driving safety and quality in health services.

Purpose

We protect and support the community through responsive complaints processes and regulatory action, driving positive change and confidence in the health system.

Objectives and key strategies

CARE: Optimising experiences and outcomes, building confidence in our services as being accessible, responsive and safe.

• Develop person-centered services and trauma informed frameworks that drives excellence

  across our organisation.

• Promote community awareness and understanding of our role in promoting and regulating quality standards in health care.
• Understand and respond to the different needs of our communities for engaging with us.
• Implement an action plan for First Nations and priority populations that supports equitable access to our services.

PEOPLE: Valuing our people and empowering them for the future.

• Develop a future ready workforce that is flexible enough to meet changing priorities.
• Develop a united culture that supports staff wellbeing, diversity and inclusivity.
• Build our leaders and emerging leaders to guide safe, inclusive and productive teams.

TRANSFORMATION: Transforming our systems, processes and data to drive performance and influence change.

• Embed technology as an enabler to enhance user experiences and business productivity.
• Improve the reliability, flexibility and security of our technology solutions to support a digitally evolving workforce.
• Improve data quality, reporting and governance to strengthen the delivery of our services.

INTEGRATION: Ensuring the effectiveness and integration of our regulatory and complaint management functions.

• Develop and implement practice and decision-making framework across OHO’s functions to improve community experience and effectiveness of OHO’s work.
• Build consistency and clarity of policies and procedures across the complaints management practices and performance of regulatory functions.
• Design a cross-functional model for the management of high risk and complex matters to drive efficiencies and effectiveness.

IMPACT: Driving improvements in health service safety, quality and complaints processes.

• Impact change in regulatory and legislative frameworks and the safety and quality of health services.
• Ensure the insights and outcomes from our work are shared and our advice is sought after in Queensland and nationally.
• Extend the reach of our services and impact as a health complaints authority through strategic partnerships with others in the health service community.

Values

Integrity

We are honest, ethical and accountable.

Respect

We are inclusive and uphold the dignity and diversity of people’s backgrounds, experiences and perspectives.

Collaboration

We value working together and with others to achieve the best outcome.

Compassion

We demonstrate sensitivity and empathy in everything we do.

Courage

We are committed in our objectives and take action to effect positive change.

Strategic challenges and opportunities

Our challenges

• Workforce capacity and capability (shortages, lack of diversity, recruitment and retention).
• Ensuring appropriate resources are available to respond to an evolving and complex regulatory environment.
• Meeting the increasing demand for OHO services.
• Cyber security resilience and threats to privacy.
• A complex legislative and regulatory scheme that effects the OHOs ability to perform our functions.

Our opportunities

• Becoming an employer of choice, known for our positive and supportive workplace culture.
• Utilising partnerships more effectively, supporting funding requests with evidence based business plans and leveraging government initiatives and grants.
• Strengthen partnerships, employ leaner processes and flexible work strategies.
• Leverage learning from others as we implement a transformation of our systems and process.
• Contingency planning and proactive engagement with stakeholders and partners to build influence and reputation.

Success indicators

• An improvement in service delivery feedback/experience results.
• Increased engagement with First Nations people and priority populations through service delivery.
• Increased education and engagement sessions with consumers and health service providers.
• Maintain and improve staff satisfaction regarding engagement, staff wellbeing, organisational leadership and learning and development.
• Maintain and improve employment diversity as measured against public sector targets.
• Improved digital options that enhance user experiences and business productivity.
• Improved systems and analytical capability, with increased use and sharing of data with stakeholders.
• An increase in stakeholder satisfaction with our data resources, access and quality.
• An improvement in stakeholder satisfaction with the effectiveness of our regulatory and complaint management functions.
• Improved staff satisfaction regarding the clarity and consistency of policies and procedures to support the performance of our functions.
• Increase in timeliness and effectiveness of the management of high risk and complex matters.
• Increase in the publication of information and reports on systemic issues and themes from complaint data.
• Report on the number of implemented recommendations and improvements in health service delivery arising from systemic reports, complaints and regulatory functions.
• Increase in the number of contributions to consultations, submissions and other activities on health service safety, quality and complaints processes.

This plan is effective from 1 July 2023.

Download the Office of the Health Ombudsman 2023–27 Strategic Plan PDF (3MB)

Download the Office of the Health Ombudsman 2019-23 Strategic Plan PDF (<1MB)