Chairman
Dr Tom Frawley, took up post on 1 May 2023 following the retirement of former Chair Mr Sam Pollock, OBE.
Dr Tom Frawley graduated from Trinity College Dublin in 1971 joining the NHS as a Graduate Trainee in the same year.
In 1973 he was appointed Units Administrator of the Ulster Hospital, a number of other posts followed in the Eastern Health and Social Services Board.
In 1980 Dr Frawley was appointed District Administrator for Londonderry, Limavady and Strabane District. In 1982 he was appointed Chief Administrator of the Western Health and Social Services Board. In 1985 with the introduction of General Management he was appointed Chief Executive of the Western HSS Board continuing in that post until September 2000 when he was appointed Northern Ireland Ombudsman and Commissioner for Complaints retiring from that post in April 2016. During the period that Dr Frawley was Ombudsman, he was elected Vice President of the World Board of the International Ombudsman Institute.
Over his career Dr Frawley has chaired a number of major reviews including chairing the panel of experts who advised on the review of Public Administration (2002), the review of the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (1998-2000) and reviews of both the Northern Ireland Training Council and the Central Services Agency. Between 2012-2020 he chaired the Audit & Risk Committee of the Scottish Ombudsman’s Office and was a member of the Welsh & Irish Ombudsman’s Audit Committees.
Dr Frawley was awarded an CBE in 2003, and holds an Honorary PhD from Ulster University, Fellowships from Eisenhower (USA) & Kings Fund (London). Dr Frawley is a Member of the Professional Standards Authority and was appointed to this position by the Department of Health in January 2017. In December 2018 Dr Frawley was appointed a member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board and in 2021 he was elected vice Chairman of the Board. He completed his term of office in October 2022.