We are looking forward to hosting our SPSO Conference on Wednesday 19 November 2025 in the Edinburgh International Conference Centre aimed at staff and representatives involved in complaint handling for public sector organisations in Scotland.
SPSO Conference 2025:
From Complaint to Impact: The journey of improving outcomes for service users.
What to expect:
- Interactive workshops
- Panel sessions
- Candid conversations
Topics include:
- Current trends in public sector complaints
- Hearing the voice of the complainant
- Supporting staff through public sector reform
- Using insight to transform services
There will be networking opportunities throughout the day.
Tickets:
- Early bird tickets (50 available) - £155
- Full price tickets - £195
(We are not VAT Registered, therefore the above prices are face value)
*Full agenda coming soon*
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SPSO Conference 2023:
Our SPSO Conference 2023: Supporting Good Complaints Handling in a Changing World took place this year on Thursday 16 November 2023 at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh.
This was a one day event aimed at staff and representatives involved in complaint handling for public sector organisations in Scotland. The event included a key note speaker, panel Q&A sessions and interactive workshops.
Thank you to those who attended the Conference and for the feedback we have received since. We have been working on some resources from the day. We are delighted to now share our resources with you. Please note that these documents are not official guidance from SPSO.
- Outcomes from the vulnerability workshop – This document provides an overview of the ideas discussed by delegates who attended the vulnerabilities workshops at the SPSO conference.
- FAQs document - This document provides written responses to common questions submitted via Slido during the panel sessions at the SPSO conference. Similar or overlapping questions have been grouped into a single question and answer.
- Article ‘Enabling Complaint Handler Wellbeing’ – Carolyn has kindly provided a write up on her conference session which can be downloaded in full from our website.
Reminder: These documents are not official guidance from SPSO.
You can review the full programme agenda that we had for the day below.
9.00 - 9.30 Registration and networking
The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, Rosemary Agnew, and SPSO Director, Niki Maclean welcome you to the 2023 SPSO Conference. They will provide an overview of the day ahead and set the scene for the theme 'Supporting Good Complaints Handling in a Changing World'.
Richard Blakeway - Housing Ombudsman
This keynote piece will set the scene for the conference with a focus on the cost of living crisis and how this impacts on access to justice. Richard Blakeway brings a unique perspective on this through the lens of the Housing Ombudsman's work, including the rented housing sector. In particular, the impact of the cost of living crisis on the most vulnerable, including those on low income. There will be opportunity for questions in the session.
10.30 - 11.10 Panel discussion
Developing a child friendly complaints process
Chaired by Paul Gorman from the Empowered Children and Young People Team of the Children's Right's Unit at the Scottish Government, the panel will discuss the new child friendly complaints process being developed by the SPSO and what it means for public bodies. The panel members, who have all been involved in the co-design of the new process, will discuss the importance of meaningfully involving children and young people in the design of services that impact on them.
Panel members:
- Alice Goodrum, Aberdeen City Council
- Member of the Scottish Youth Parliament
- Josh Barnham, Scottish Public Services Ombudsman
11.10 - 11.30 Networking and refreshments
11.30 - 12.40 Parallel sessions
Parallel track A - Workshop
11.30 - 12.40 Handling complaints from people experiencing vulnerability
This workshop offers delegates an opportunity to learn vital skills for dealing with complaints from people experiencing vulnerability. This includes shared examples and experiences on:
• How to identify people experiencing vulnerability?
• How to support people experiencing vulnerability?
• How to record and share information about people experiencing vulnerability?
Parallel track B - Panel discussion
11.30 - 12.10 Top tips for good practice in complaints handling
Chaired by Andrew Sheridan, Head of Improvement, Standards and Engagement at SPSO, the panel will showcase best practice in complaints handling. The panel will share their experience of learning and improving from complaints, and top tips for building a positive culture of learning from complaints.
Panel members:
- Carol Craig-McDonald, Inverclyde Council
- Kevin Rooney, NHS Lanarkshire
- Alison Fenech, Scottish Public Services Ombudsman
Parallel track B - Enabling complaint handler well-being
12.10 - 12.40 Carolyn Hirst, Independent Consultant and Researcher at Hirstworks
Delivered by Carolyn Hirst, this session will draw on Carolyn's lived and learned experience, as a practitioner, mediator and researcher, to do with maintaining and enhancing well-being when working with complaints. There will be a particular focus on complaints which complaint handlers have experienced as challenging.
12.40 - 13.30 Lunch and networking
13.30 - 14.40 Parallel sessions
Parallel track B - Workshop
13.30 - 14.40 Handling complaints from people experiencing vulnerability
This workshop offers delegates an opportunity to learn vital skills for dealing with complaints from people experiencing vulnerability. This includes shared examples and experiences on:
• How to identify people experiencing vulnerability?
• How to support people experiencing vulnerability?
• How to record and share information about people experiencing vulnerability?
Parallel track A - Panel discussion
13.30 - 14.10 Top tips for good practice in complaints handling
Chaired by Andrew Sheridan, Head of Improvement, Standards and Engagement at SPSO, the panel will showcase best practice in complaints handling. The panel will share their experience of learning and improving from complaints, and top tips for building a positive culture of learning from complaints.
Panel members:
- Carol Craig-McDonald, Inverclyde Council
- Kevin Rooney, NHS Lanarkshire
- Alison Fenech, Scottish Public Services Ombudsman
Parallel track A - Enabling complaint handler well-being
14.10 - 14.40 Carolyn Hirst, Independent Consultant and Researcher at Hirstworks
Delivered by Carolyn Hirst, this session will draw on Carolyn's lived and learned experience, as a practitioner, mediator and researcher, to do with maintaining and enhancing well-being when working with complaints. There will be a particular focus on complaints which complaint handlers have experienced as challenging.
14.40 - 14.55 Networking and refreshments
14.55 - 15.25 Panel discussion
Resolution based approaches to complaint handling
Chaired by Rosemary Agnew, Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, the panel will discuss the importance of a resolution based approach to complaints handling. The panel will share their own experiences and learnings from achieving resolution-based outcomes and discuss best practice.
Panel members:
- Angela Morrison, Highland Council
- Sue Burke, Scottish Public Services Ombudsman
- Colin Wotherspoon, Scottish Public Services Ombudsman
Meet the team
In the final session of the day, the senior team at the SPSO will introduce themselves and answer any questions you may have from the days programme.
Panel members:
- Rosemary Agnew, Scottish Public Services Ombudsman
- Andrew Sheridan, Head of Improvement, Standards and Engagement at SPSO
- Judy Saddler, Head of Investigations for Public Sector Complaints, SPSO
- Elaine Cameron, Head of Investigations for the Independent National Whistleblowing Officer and Scottish Welfare Fund, SPSO
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If you have any questions, get in touch at [email protected]