- Published:
- Tuesday, 16 May 2023 at 10:40 am
The Private Practitioner Supply Project involves engaging and collaborating with our private practitioner partners, to focus on ways to make it easier for private practitioners to work with us.
Background
With approximately 70 per cent of grants of aid and 15 per cent of our duty lawyer services delivered by private practitioners, it is critical for us to work collaboratively, to ensure our clients receive the legal assistance they need in all practice areas and regions.
We have recently undertaken a review of private practitioner regional participation, as well as a private practitioner satisfaction survey. The findings of the review and survey identified common barriers to private practitioner participation in performing legally aided work including:
- fees and fee structures
- processes to join panels
- onerous administrative requirements
- a need to improve engagement with private practitioners
- challenges associated with assisting clients with complex needs.
We have established the Private Practitioner Supply Project to begin addressing these barriers.
What will the project do?
We are committed to improving the experience of private practitioners who do legally aided work. We are planning several initiatives that aim to make it easier for private practitioners to work with us including:
- establishing a practitioner advisory group and panel practitioner regional networks, to make it easier for practitioners to communicate issues and challenges and improve collaboration.
- improving functionality in how private practitioners who do legally aided work interact with our grants team through efficiencies in grants automation.
- improving communications with practitioners in relation to our panel application processes and simplifying our guidelines.
- developing a framework to improve practitioner supply, centred around a ‘local first’ principle, where practitioners are available.
- developing innovative options to encourage and support more private practitioners to do legal aid work in regions with limited private practitioner participation, including exploring creative fee arrangements in areas with limited supply.
- considering adapting family law fee structures to reflect current court practices.
When will the project actions occur?
The Private Practitioner Supply Project actions will be implemented in stages. A considerable amount of work is already underway, including:
- establishing regional networks and an advisory forum
- improving transparency of referral processes for private practitioners via our recent Private Practitioner Short Service Scheme contract rollout
- clarifying and simplifying our eligibility guidelines
- improving grants administration through efficiencies in grants automation.
We will also improve the way we communicate changes to the panel application process and in the next 12 months we will scope a pilot project that supports pathways to panel membership in areas with limited private practitioner participation.
More information
For more information, email Senior Policy and Project Manager Simon Walker – simon.walker@vla.vic.gov.au
Updated