Post by nickd on Dec 6, 2012 23:37:37 GMT 1
Pay as you go Justice
Would you credit it?
On the 28th November 2012 the Legal Services Commission announced the successful bidders for contracts, which take effect from April 2013, these will become the first 'port of call' for those in desperate need of housing & debt requiring specialist legal advice.
In this article we take a look at the successful bidders and ask will telephone advice really meet the needs of those who need real help?
It's important to bear in mind that people will firstly need to negotiate a telephone service and secondly once they've done so the advice they will be able to get under legal aid will be very restricted indeed.
They are: Access Legal Training Limited, Carillion Energy Services, Derbyshire Housing Aid, Duncan Lewis solicitors and Shelter. For the full announcement, click here.
www.legalservices.gov.uk/civil/cls_news_14208.asp
Duncan Lewis
www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/duncan-lewis-courts-ftse-takeover-0
Carillion
The LSC provides access to legal advice in England and Wales. They work in partnership with solicitors and not-for-profit organisations to get people in the information, advice and legal help they need to deal with a wide range of problems.
The Challenge
With Central Government transformation and increasing pressures on the legal aid budget, the LSC turned to Carillion Energy Services after a competitive tender exercise for a large scale telephone based legal advice service that would drive down cost, improve service levels and increase customer access.
Carillion Energy Services ten year advocacy record and its robust advice framework made it the ideal strategic partner for a national community legal service covering four key areas of law:
Housing
Welfare benefits
Debt
Employment
The Solution
Inbound calls with dedicated community legal advice workers managing customer referrals from a central operator service.
Computer case management system which acts as a database allowing customer information to be uploaded, tracked and monitored.
Internal process embedded which ensures quality advice given to clients on initial contact and during further legal case development.
Services Provided
This ground breaking partnership has seen Carillion Energy Services and Central Government sign a three year contract plus a two year extension for the outsourcing of one of the UK’s largest legal advice contracts.
Achievements
UK’s leading outsourcer – In 2008 Carillion Energy Services was identified as the leading supplier of community legal advice services by the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (IALS).
Highest possible rating achieved – Carillion Energy Services was awarded the highest rating of quality PR1 ‘Excellence’ in the IALS Peer Review for Welfare Benefits, putting Carillion Energy Services in the top 3% of legal advice suppliers in the country.
Measured performance – All targets met or exceeded, which resulted in the contract being increased from a monthly output of 2,177 hours of advice in April 2007 to 4374 hours per month in July 2009. This was an increase of 200% from our original allocation.
Highly flexible – with over 150 staff developed into bespoke teams which were set up quickly and effectively whilst maintaining service excellence.
Cost effective – with savings on set up and training costs minimised through a seamless transfer of experience Carillion Energy Services staff.
Scalability – Driving customer satisfaction with over 50,000 people helped since the start of the contract. This included a volume increase of 200% in the second six months of the contract whilst maintaining service quality and best performer status.
Client Quote
Mrs O contacted a community legal advice worker regarding an issue with her benefit payments, she was in receipt of Incapacity Benefit, however, following a Personal Capability Assessment, she failed to meet the required criteria and her Incapacity Benefit was stopped.
Through the professional advice and guidance of the advice worker a successful appeal was made. Mrs O then received a lump sum of over £500 in backdated payment and also continual periodical payments of the long-term Incapacity Benefit and the disability premium.
Mrs O said: "A huge thank you for your excellent & intelligent handling of my case, especially as I did not have to attend a case hearing. You all deserve a gold medal."
Mrs O, Maidstone
www.carillionenergy.co.uk/business/managed-services/case-studies/legal-services-commission-lsc
Access Legal - Shoesmiths
www.access-legal.co.uk/index.htm
Would you credit it?
On the 28th November 2012 the Legal Services Commission announced the successful bidders for contracts, which take effect from April 2013, these will become the first 'port of call' for those in desperate need of housing & debt requiring specialist legal advice.
In this article we take a look at the successful bidders and ask will telephone advice really meet the needs of those who need real help?
It's important to bear in mind that people will firstly need to negotiate a telephone service and secondly once they've done so the advice they will be able to get under legal aid will be very restricted indeed.
They are: Access Legal Training Limited, Carillion Energy Services, Derbyshire Housing Aid, Duncan Lewis solicitors and Shelter. For the full announcement, click here.
www.legalservices.gov.uk/civil/cls_news_14208.asp
Duncan Lewis
www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/duncan-lewis-courts-ftse-takeover-0
Carillion
The LSC provides access to legal advice in England and Wales. They work in partnership with solicitors and not-for-profit organisations to get people in the information, advice and legal help they need to deal with a wide range of problems.
The Challenge
With Central Government transformation and increasing pressures on the legal aid budget, the LSC turned to Carillion Energy Services after a competitive tender exercise for a large scale telephone based legal advice service that would drive down cost, improve service levels and increase customer access.
Carillion Energy Services ten year advocacy record and its robust advice framework made it the ideal strategic partner for a national community legal service covering four key areas of law:
Housing
Welfare benefits
Debt
Employment
The Solution
Inbound calls with dedicated community legal advice workers managing customer referrals from a central operator service.
Computer case management system which acts as a database allowing customer information to be uploaded, tracked and monitored.
Internal process embedded which ensures quality advice given to clients on initial contact and during further legal case development.
Services Provided
This ground breaking partnership has seen Carillion Energy Services and Central Government sign a three year contract plus a two year extension for the outsourcing of one of the UK’s largest legal advice contracts.
Achievements
UK’s leading outsourcer – In 2008 Carillion Energy Services was identified as the leading supplier of community legal advice services by the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (IALS).
Highest possible rating achieved – Carillion Energy Services was awarded the highest rating of quality PR1 ‘Excellence’ in the IALS Peer Review for Welfare Benefits, putting Carillion Energy Services in the top 3% of legal advice suppliers in the country.
Measured performance – All targets met or exceeded, which resulted in the contract being increased from a monthly output of 2,177 hours of advice in April 2007 to 4374 hours per month in July 2009. This was an increase of 200% from our original allocation.
Highly flexible – with over 150 staff developed into bespoke teams which were set up quickly and effectively whilst maintaining service excellence.
Cost effective – with savings on set up and training costs minimised through a seamless transfer of experience Carillion Energy Services staff.
Scalability – Driving customer satisfaction with over 50,000 people helped since the start of the contract. This included a volume increase of 200% in the second six months of the contract whilst maintaining service quality and best performer status.
Client Quote
Mrs O contacted a community legal advice worker regarding an issue with her benefit payments, she was in receipt of Incapacity Benefit, however, following a Personal Capability Assessment, she failed to meet the required criteria and her Incapacity Benefit was stopped.
Through the professional advice and guidance of the advice worker a successful appeal was made. Mrs O then received a lump sum of over £500 in backdated payment and also continual periodical payments of the long-term Incapacity Benefit and the disability premium.
Mrs O said: "A huge thank you for your excellent & intelligent handling of my case, especially as I did not have to attend a case hearing. You all deserve a gold medal."
Mrs O, Maidstone
www.carillionenergy.co.uk/business/managed-services/case-studies/legal-services-commission-lsc
Access Legal - Shoesmiths
www.access-legal.co.uk/index.htm