Richard Simmons is Professor of Social and Public Policy at the University of Stirling. Richard has a long-established record of high-quality research in the field of public policy and public services. He has recently completed NIHR-funded research entitled Enhancing the patient complaints journey: harnessing the power of language to transform the experience of complaining. This builds on a long history of research on user and community ‘voice’, for example: Public Service Users’ Motivations to Participate; Consumer Involvement in Public Services; Citizen Governance; Complaints and Innovation in Public Services; Outcomes of Complaints and Investigations in Social Care; Health Complaints in Prisons and even Complaints Systems for Anti-Corruption. Richard has written widely on these topics in both academic and practitioner-focused publications, also providing advice to government, parliament, regulators, ombudsmen, and service providers including the NHS and UK local authorities. He is currently developing further work on harnessing the power of language in complaint handling, complaints handling systems in the social care sector, and the use of artificial intelligence in complaint handling.

Since joining NIPSO in 2014 Sean has held the roles of Director of Investigations  and Acting Deputy Ombudsman and was appointed Deputy Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman and the Deputy Northern Ireland Local Government Commissioner for Standards in December 2022. Sean has been leading the work for NIPSO to implement new standards for the management of complaints across the public sector in Northern Ireland and to develop resources to support the public sector implement the new standards. Prior to joining NIPSO Sean gained extensive experience in the local government sector and held a number of senior roles in councils in Northern Ireland. Sean holds a first class Honours Degree in Environmental Health and has post graduate qualifications in Occupational Safety and Health, Organisation and Management and Health Promotion.

Justin joined the Housing Ombudsman Service in August 2023 as the Director of Dispute Support and Resolution. Justin brings over 15 years’ experience of working in social housing with 8 years’ experience working in a variety of both operational and strategic senior management positions. These roles have included overseeing large front line customer facing teams, leading complaint management functions and the delivery of transformational programmes.  

Justin holds a degree in Psychology and is a member of the Charted Institute of People Development. Outside of work Justin has held positions as an Advisory Board member within a local council and a Trustee for a local food charity.   

Paula, a graduate of the London Business School and a trained barrister, started the role on 1 August 2025.

She joins PHSO from the financial technology firm OneID where she has been CEO since 2023.

Paula was CEO at the Student Loans Company from 2018 to 2022, and the Charity Commission, from 2014 to 2017.

She has extensive leadership experience, particularly in delivering major transformation and change programmes and services in the public, private and voluntary sectors.

She was awarded a CBE in 2022 for services to higher education.

John McMahon is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in the public sector, particularly in local government.

He has held various roles focused on enhancing citizen engagement and service delivery. At GovMetric, John contributes to the company’s mission of improving public services through data-driven insights and citizen feedback. His expertise lies in understanding the nuances of public service operations and implementing strategies that foster positive citizen experiences.

Daniel leads customer experience and communications for Together Housing – one of the country’s largest housing associations with homes across 32 local authorities.

Customer experience involves leading complaints, resolutions, customer insight and scrutiny. Communications comprises marketing, press and media, websites, social media, internal communications and stakeholder engagement.

A graduate of Hull and Leeds Universities, Daniel has had a wide ranging career across the public and private sectors including the European Commission, Yorkshire Water and the National Housing Federation.

Michael is Product Director for mycomplaints.ai and has worked for 30+ years in complaint management related roles. His past roles include being a complaints investigator in local government, an adjudicator of social housing complaints, and advising on complaints insights for a consumer service.

His experience covers a wide range of sectors including local government, social housing, insurance, travel, transport, leisure, manufacturing, automotive, consumer lending, mortgages, and healthcare.

Michael’s other roles include being the Complaints Ambassador for the Collaboration Network and a committee member for the British Standards Institution’s Customer Service Committee (SVS/0). He was also the Chair of the ISO (Internal Standards) committee that drafted a new global standard for consumer vulnerability.

John McMahon is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in the public sector, particularly in local government.

He has held various roles focused on enhancing citizen engagement and service delivery. At GovMetric, John contributes to the company’s mission of improving public services through data-driven insights and citizen feedback. His expertise lies in understanding the nuances of public service operations and implementing strategies that foster positive citizen experiences.

Clair has been a Senior Ombudsman at the Legal Ombudsman since 2014.  Clair’s particular focus is with LeO’s Early Resolution Team as well as being the Senior Ombudsman vulnerable customer champion.  Prior to working at LeO Clair has worked for various regulators, including Ofwat and Ofsted, leading on complaints investigations and management, as well as delivering a wide range of project work.

In her current role, Clair jointly leads projects focused on improving the effectiveness of first tier complaint processes, helping lawyers and consumers resolve complaints without the need for them to be escalated to LeO.

Simon has been working in legal complaints for over 20 years. As a Senior Ombudsman at the Legal Ombudsman, he deals with consumer complaints across the entire spectrum of legal services.

In his current role, Simon jointly leads projects focused on improving the effectiveness of first tier complaint processes, helping lawyers and consumers resolve complaints without the need for them to be escalated to LeO.

I have worked for the Nursing and Midwifery Council since 2017. For much of that time, I have worked as the manager of a busy customer-facing team. I have grown to understand the nuances of interacting with people raising concerns in the largest healthcare regulator in the UK, ranging from issues of EDI, fitness to practise, and registration. I recognise the vital services that healthcare regulators provide, the importance of getting things right, and having accountability and a willingness to learn when we fall short.

Outside of work, I hold positions as a magistrate, music teacher and football referee. Experiences in these roles inspire me to make sound decisions and provide people with access to equal opportunities in the justice system and the arts.

Stuart Purcell is a Complaint Manager in Local Government (currently with Rotherham MBC) with 20 years’ experience of front line complaint investigation and complaint handling practice across all areas of service delivery.

Since 2018 Stuart has been chair of the National Complaints Managers Group. The group is a forum representing professionals delivering complaints, dispute resolution and associated functions in primarily in Adult Social Care, Children & Families Social Care and Education within Local Authorities in England. It supports complaints managers by facilitating peer support through regional and national networks. By sharing information, ideas, advice and experience the group helps to inform and improve best practice.

Richard Simmons is Professor of Social and Public Policy at the University of Stirling. Richard has a long-established record of high-quality research in the field of public policy and public services. He has recently completed NIHR-funded research entitled Enhancing the patient complaints journey: harnessing the power of language to transform the experience of complaining. This builds on a long history of research on user and community ‘voice’, for example: Public Service Users’ Motivations to Participate; Consumer Involvement in Public Services; Citizen Governance; Complaints and Innovation in Public Services; Outcomes of Complaints and Investigations in Social Care; Health Complaints in Prisons and even Complaints Systems for Anti-Corruption. Richard has written widely on these topics in both academic and practitioner-focused publications, also providing advice to government, parliament, regulators, ombudsmen, and service providers including the NHS and UK local authorities. He is currently developing further work on harnessing the power of language in complaint handling, complaints handling systems in the social care sector, and the use of artificial intelligence in complaint handling.