News story

HMCTS hosts Annual Public User Event on Reform finale

The event in central London covered the progress and future plans around HMCTS Reform.

A group of people attending an event at HMCTS headquarters, Petty France, in London.

This year’s HMCTS Annual Public User Event, the sixth of its kind, returned to its usual in-person format at HMCTS headquarters in London this week.

The event – subtitled ‘Reflecting on achievements. Focusing on the future’ – covered the latest progress of the Reform Programme across criminal, civil, family and tribunals jurisdictions as well as our cross-cutting activity.

Nearly 100 people attended and took the opportunity to hear from those leading reform at HMCTS. Following virtual events held in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, the in-person occasion gave attendees the opportunity to:

  • visit market style stalls across different reform areas
  • ask questions
  • provide feedback

Reform leaders at HMCTS also delivered face-to-face presentations with question and answer sessions. As well as the core jurisdictions, other topics included how we’re supporting our users to use reformed services, and how the impact of reform is being evaluated.

Gemma Hewison, Strategy and Change Director at HMCTS opened the event with her speech on next steps for reform. Co-Chair of the Litigants in Person working group, The Honourable Mr. Justice Robin Knowles, also gave a keynote speech.

Our CEO Nick Goodwin brought the event to a close with his reflections on the vital improvements that have been delivered through our public user engagement.

Reflecting on the event, Gemma Hewison, said:

It was great to see our dedicated public users at the event in-person and to hear their feedback about our reformed services. Everything we do across HMCTS is with our users at the forefront and we will continue to engage and work together through events like these as reform enters its final phase and beyond. Thank you to everyone involved.

Next steps for engaging public users

We’re currently reviewing and relaunching our approach to engaging public users.

Our new model will comprise of a Strategic Group and 4 jurisdictional focused groups.

We will be launching these groups over the course of the year, beginning in April.  If you’re part of an organisation that supports HMCTS users and would like to be part of an engagement group, contact us on publicengagement@justice.gov.uk.

Published 23 March 2023
Last updated 27 March 2023 + show all updates
  1. Added a Youtube video: HMCTS Public User Event 2023

  2. First published.