Season 2 Episode 6 Podcast – That OA Thing
For our March edition of That OA Thing, we are marking International Women's Day 2025 with a special episode. We were delighted to welcome Margaret Kelly, Chair of the Ombudsman Association (OA) and Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman (NIPSO), as our seventh guest of the season.
Margaret joined Donal Galligan, Chief Executive of the OA, to discuss two vital topics: Women’s Health and Female Leadership in the Ombudsman Sector. With increasing awareness of systemic barriers faced by women in leadership and healthcare, this episode highlights both the progress made and the challenges that remain.
In this episode, Margaret shares:
• The importance of women in leadership within the ombudsman sector and the inspiring female leaders driving change.
• The barriers that continue to limit female representation in senior roles and how they can be addressed.
• The struggles women face in having their health concerns taken seriously, from chronic pain conditions to maternity care failures.
• Insights from real cases investigated by NIPSO on women’s healthcare complaints and what they reveal about systemic issues.
• The role of Ombudsman offices in holding public services accountable and driving improvements in women’s healthcare.
Margaret also discusses the upcoming NIPSO report on maternity care, set to be published next week, and what it means for the future of women’s health services.
Don't miss this insightful discussion on leadership, advocacy, and the ongoing efforts to ensure women’s voices are heard and acted upon in public services.
Click on the links below to listen:
We hope you enjoy this episode!