The OA are consulting on proposed changes to our existing membership criteria, as set out in our Terms and Rules.
The Validation Committee has undertaken a review of its processes aimed at ensuring they remain robust, efficient and fit for purpose. The review was launched at a workshop at the 2022 OA Conference.
In the course of its review, the Validation Committee identified a number of improvements that could be made to the existing membership criteria. Those improvements aim to:
- reduce duplication and inconsistency across the Terms and Rules;
- update the criteria and language to reflect current good practice standards and recent OA publications;
- address areas where, in the Validation Committee’s experience, it has been unclear how the criteria should be applied in practice.
The consultation paper highlights some of the key changes to Parts A, B and C of the Terms and Rules.
Annex A sets out the proposed changes to the Terms and Rules, developed by the Validation Committee in close collaboration with the Board. The proposed changes in Annex A are the subject of this consultation.
Annex B is the draft guidance from the OA’s Board to the Validation Committee, directing the Committee on how to apply the criteria in the Terms and Rules in practice. This draft guidance may be of use to respondents in understanding how the Board intends the Terms and Rules to be interpreted.
Consultation responses should be sent to donal.galligan@ombudsmanassociation.org by 9 June 2023.