S2 Ep 8: Mental Health Special with Rebecca Hilsenrath, Chief Executive of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO)
For our May edition of That OA Thing, we’re marking Mental Health Awareness Week with a powerful and reflective episode on mental health in public services and in the workplace. We were pleased to welcome Rebecca Hilsenrath, Chief Executive of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO), as our ninth guest of the season.
Rebecca joined Donal Galligan, Chief Executive of the Ombudsman Association (OA), for an honest conversation on leadership, listening, and learning from mistakes – especially in the context of mental health.
In this episode, Rebecca shares insights on:
- The types of mental health-related complaints being raised with the PHSO, and the patterns and themes that are emerging from these cases.
- The barriers complainants face – including stigma, service gaps, and a lack of understanding – when trying to raise mental health concerns.
- How the PHSO is using its role to address systemic failings, drive improvements in mental health services, and influence broader public service accountability.
- Workplace wellbeing in complaints handling roles, and the steps organisations can take to support staff working under emotional pressure.
- What compassionate leadership looks like, and how Rebecca navigates the emotional demands of leading a public-facing organisation on complex and often distressing issues.
As Rebecca powerfully reminds us, listening deeply and learning from mistakes is key to building better services – and better workplaces – for everyone.
Click on the links below to listen:
We hope you find this episode as reflective and introspective as we did – and that it encourages reflection and action, wherever you work in the ombudsman community or wider public sector.