LATEST ISSUES 7th July, 2026

The following was sent to Basingstoke MP, Luke Murphy's office, this afternoon.

'Dear Tracey,

Thank you for your email and the attached 'PACAC PHSO' document. 

I am disappointed by your decision to close this case, especially with consideration to recommendation 9 on page 9 under 'Appendix 1: Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman response' of the same 'PACAC PHSO' document you attached.

' 9. We renew our call for legislative reform of the PHSO, the principle of which enjoys widespread support among stakeholders and the ombudsmen that would be directly affected. The PHSO have outlined to us some concrete examples of the operational issues that are being caused, and exacerbated over time, by the lack of reform. Reforms are long overdue, and we do not agree with the Government that this is not an urgent issue; rather it has been neglected too long and further delay is no longer tenable. The Government should reconsider its position on reforms and set out its plans, ahead of the general election. It should consult with a wide variety of stakeholders, including different ombudsmen, parliamentarians and PHSO service users. All political parties should include a commitment to reforming the legislation relating to the PHSO in their upcoming manifestos ahead of the next General Election, coupled with a commitment to introduce such legislation early in the next Parliament.'

The PHSO is 'corrupt by design'. By not acting to the full extent of its remit, the PHSO is failing countless NHS service users and contributing to the systemic erosion of ethics, values and quality of healthcare. I put it to you that corruption is baked into all parts of the complaints process precisely because NHS Patient Advisory Liaison Services understand, perfectly well, that virtually all complaints will be dismissed by the PHSO as a matter of course. My own complaint is testament to that systemic failure; the PHSO, in contemptuously dismissing the full scope of my complaints against the Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, have effectively condoned and encouraged clinical malpractice and corruption.

I have made repeated appeals to Luke to raise the issue of legislative reform of the PHSO in Parliament, but your recent email makes no such commitment.

The 'PACAC PHSO' document makes the 'recommendation of a consultation on the nature of legislative reform and the recommendation that all political parties include a commitment in their upcoming manifestos ahead of the next General Election to reform the legislation relating to the PHSO'.

I am now compiling a document for the eyes of all the current members of PACAC, including

Dame Jackie Doyle-Price (Conservative, Thurrock (Chair))

Ronnie Cowan MP (Scottish National Party, Inverclyde)

Jo Gideon MP (Conservative, Stoke-on-Trent Central)

David Jones MP (Conservative, Clwyd West)

John McDonnell MP (Labour, Hayes and Harlington)

Damien Moore MP (Conservative, Southport)

Tom Randall MP (Conservative, Gedling)

Lloyd Russell-Moyle MP (Labour (Co-op), Brighton, Kemptown)

Karin Smyth MP (Labour, Bristol South)

John Stevenson MP (Conservative, Carlisle)

Beth Winter MP (Labour, Cynon Valley)

The document that I am compiling will include the 21536 word 'Feedback' report detailing my own complaint to the PHSO. That 'Feedback' report is damning. I will copy your office in on the new document.

Please take the initiative now and raise this seriously important issue in Parliament at the earliest available opportunity.

Thank you.

Yours sincerely,

Mark Stock'