Quality Assurance

One of the core objectives of the Bar Standards Board, as set out in its Strategic Plan 2007- 2009, is a commitment to promoting excellence and quality within the profession and for ensuring that those who qualify as barristers have the right level of skills and knowledge to provide services to the public.

To meet this aim, the Board has established its Quality Working Group to develop a quality assurance strategy for the Bar. The Group is currently looking at the issue of quality assurance from first principles with a view to considering what mechanisms are needed to assure the level of quality of barristers.

In addition, the Quality Assurance Committee of the Bar Standards Board is currently undertaking work on the quality assurance of Chambers.

As part of this commitment the Board held a seminar on quality on 21 May 2007.

The aim of the seminar was to give interested parties the opportunity to hear from respected commentators on quality assurance and to air their own views on the need for, and priorities of, a quality strategy for the Bar. The event was well attended with representatives from the Board and its regulatory committees, the Board’s Consumer Panel, the Bar, the Ministry of Justice, the Solicitors Regulation Authority, the Inns and members of staff.

Presentations were received from:

Dame Janet Smith, Court of Appeal Judge, President of COIC, and former Chair of the Shipman Inquiry

Sir Donald Irvine, former President of the General Medical Council

Sir Michael Bichard, Chair of the Legal Services Commission

click here for a summary of the presentations.

A number of issues arose from the seminar that the Board would like to consider in more detail. They include:

The development of a ‘Good Practice at the Bar’ document which sets the standards expected of a barrister and provides a benchmark for assessing competency;

How to obtain feedback about individual barristers’ performances,

CPD as an effective measure of quality assurance. Whether CPD is effective in achieving outcomes for the practitioner in terms of improving skills and knowledge; and

Revalidation and Peer Review for all barristers, both employed and self-employed and whether this is proportionate or necessary for the Bar.

The Board has asked its Quality Assurance Committee to consider each of these issues and to report in November, following which the Board will develop its strategy on quality and determine its priorities.

A consultation paper on quality assurance at the Bar will be issued in 2008.

In addition, the Quality Assurance Committee continues its work on developing a scheme to monitor Chambers’ compliance with the Code of Conduct.

For details of the Quality Assurance Committee and its work please click here.

Regular updates on developments on quality assuarance will be provided in this section of the website.