OmbudsPEI getting more complaints, and that's a good thing

The OmbudsPEIoffice has tabled its first annual report, outlining its accomplishments for the first 14 months of its operation.

The office was established, with Sandy Hermiston as the first ombudsperson, in February of 2022.

It has been a year of building, Hermiston told Island Morning host Laura Chapin.

"The word is getting out. We're receiving more complaints and we're really pleased about that," she said.

"It's a good first year."

151 people contacted the office in those first 14 months. There were 60 inquiries and 64 complaints lodged 44 of which were closed and 27 referred to other agencies.

The office only deals with provincial agencies, but Hermiston said they have also developed expertise in where to send people they can't help. She encouraged people to contact them, even if they don't believe they are the right agency to approach.

"Don't hesitate. No self-screening. Let us decide if we can do it or not," said Hermiston.

"We don't want people to be looking around trying to find where they should go. So we do our best to understand what the options are."

Hearing from jail inmates

The Provincial Correctional Centre was the most common source of complaints during thefirst year.

This is not surprising for a couple of reasons, said Hermiston.

"I know that it really looks like they're an outlier in our system, but that's really because it's easy for people who are confined to talk to each other about their options," she said.

"Word spread pretty quickly that our office was open, and people started calling."

It is also normal for correctional facilities to generate a lot of complaints, she said. Nationally, they're always in the top five.

That is not to say that those complaints are not significant, Hermiston said.The report lists changes in access to opioid replacement therapy at the jail as one of the office's leading achievements.

Change through education

The office does not have the power to force any agency to make changes.

But it has made change happen, just by pointing out a better way.

"In all of the work that we do we're trying to educate people about fair practice," said Hermiston.

"It's a great opportunity for learning and discussion and sometimes even a little bit of modernization. You get busy doing your job, and it's hard to look up from that to see what's going on around you in the country or the world."

The office has five employees:Hermiston, a deputy, an investigator, an investigator/communications officer and an office manager.

That's enough for now, said Hermiston, but she hopes there will be opportunity to grow as more people learn about and take advantage of the service.