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Quality Profiles
On this page:
- Update
- What are Quality Profiles?
- Measuring Performance
- Quality Profiles as a measure of individual supplier performance
- Quality Profiles as a risk assessment tool
- What categories of law do Quality Profiles cover?
- How to use Quality Profile
- For more information
Update
We are currently undergoing a review of the Quality Profiles tool. We will look to develop the tool for the remaining categories of law and analyse further case data from the new codes to identfy other potential indicators.
We will review the current format of the report and also look at the guidance documents.
If you have any comments regarding the further development of Quality Profiles please contact us via the details below.
What are Quality Profiles?
A Quality Profile is a tool to indicate how providers have performed over a period of time.
The process allows the LSC and our providers to remotely monitor case performance and identify any change in performance.
Performance is measured using data produced from the Matter Type, Outcome and Stage Reached codes that providers send us at the end of every case.
Quality Profile reports are produced for each firm.
Measuring performance
- The Quality Profile can currently be used to monitor individual provider performance.
- The tool has also been developed as a risk assessment tool. This function is not currently in use due to data accuracy issues. We hope to inroduce this soon once resolved.
Quality Profiles as a measure of individual supplier performance
The reports provide a picture of case performance across each category of law over a period of time. We can immediately identify performance trends such as changes in the pattern of case outcomes.
If necessary, we can identify key areas for improvement.
The report compares performance in a six month period with performance in the same period the previous year to ensure performance is maintained.
Quality Profiles as a risk assessment tool
Quality Profiles measure a provider’s performance against a series of quality indicators such as:
- case length
- case mix
- case outcomes.
These indicators were developed by comparing case data achieved by firms to ascertain those 'indicators' (how often a particular code was used, e.g. how often a client ceased to give instructions) that separated high quality advice from poor quality advice. The results were correlated with Peer Review data to ensure the indicator was indicative of quality.
We use national data to establish a ‘normal’ range for each performance measure. When a firm’s performance appears to be ‘out of profile’, meaning outside this range, we will work with service providers to understand the reasons why.
Each category of law contains a number of specific 'indicators' of performance. The greater the number of indicators that are out of profile, the greater the potential for underlying performance issues.
There could be valid reasons that could affect the profile such as a firm’s niche client group. We would only consider further investigation where there is no logical explanation for a firm being out of profile. This may be through a Peer Review or an audit.
What categories of law do Quality Profiles cover?
Quality Profile reports cover:
- Actions against the police
- Clinical negligence
- Debt
- Employment
- Family
- Housing
- Immigration
- Welfare benefits
- Crime.
The remaining categories are under development.
How to use Quality Profiles
Quality Profiles are currently used to measure individual provider performance. It should not be used as a risk assessment tool. We hope to introduce this soon once data accuracy issues are resolved.
Providers must report accurate case information to us at the end of each case. The reports are valuable only if the case information and outcome codes are accurate. The LSC has undergone a review of the codes in order to ensure there is accurate reporting of the type of cases undertaken by providers and the outcome of those cases. This will provide the LSC with quality data with which to create new indicators of quality.
Providers reporting will be monitored under File Assessment.
If you wish to review your Quality Profile or check that you are reporting case information correctly please contact your LSC Account Manager.
For more information
See Related Documents on the top right hand side of this page for:
- Quality Profiles Report Guidance
- Quality Profiles Contract Sanctions.
Please contact Lisa Jeffery
Last updated: 25 May 2007