Families’ fury over ‘painfully slow’ progress after Winterbourne View scandal – Daily Telegraph

‘Families of the victims of the Winterbourne View care scandal have written to David Cameron accusing ministers of betrayal by leaving vulnerable disabled people at risk of abuse five years on.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 31st May 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Relatives campaign for ‘Robin’s law’ to oblige care homes to inform family if a loved one is ill – The Guardian

‘As a new inquest approaches into the death of their autistic sister, family continues to fight for a law to boost the rights of relatives.’

Full story

The Guardian, 1st June 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Bar regulator has made “significant improvements”, says LSB’s report – Bar Standards Board

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has made “significant improvements” as a regulator since 2012-13, says the Legal Services Board (LSB)’s today in its Regulatory Standards Report for 2015-16 about the Bar regulator.’

Full press release

Bar Standards Board, 10th May 2016

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Dying pensioners admitted to hospital against their will, CQC report finds – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 9th, 2016 in consent, equality, health, hospitals, news, quality assurance, standards, statistics by sally

‘Dying elderly people are being admitted to hospital against their will and end of life care is not good enough, a Care Quality Commission study has found.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 8th May 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Risk-based approach to regulating the Bar: the regulator publishes its Framework, Index and Outlook – Bar Standards Board

‘The BSB is today publishing three documents about its approach to risk-based regulation.’

Full press release

Bar Standards Board, 5th April 2016

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Bar regulator unveils new three-year Strategic Plan for 2016-19 – Bar Standards Board

Posted March 23rd, 2016 in barristers, legal services, press releases, quality assurance by tracey

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has today published its new Strategic Plan for 2016-19 and its Business Plan for 2016-17.’

Full press release

Bar Standards Board, 22nd March 2016

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Judges should be able to decline ‘unfair’ QASA evaluations, SRA says – Legal Futures

Posted January 26th, 2016 in advocacy, judges, news, quality assurance, Solicitors Regulation Authority by sally

‘Judges should be able to opt out of assessing advocates under the Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates (QASA) if they believe it would be unfair, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has said.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 26th January 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

SRA asks: Are solicitors to blame for declining criminal advocacy standards? – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is to research this year whether standards of criminal advocacy are declining and whether solicitors are to blame. As part of the research, the SRA said it would ask judges whether solicitor and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) advocates were “working beyond their level of competence”.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 8th January 2016

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Ofqual to toughen up re-marking of exams after rise in grade challenges – The Guardian

Posted December 11th, 2015 in appeals, examinations, news, quality assurance by tracey

‘The exam regulator, Ofqual, has announced proposals to toughen up the re-marking of A-level and GCSE exams, after figures showed a further huge increase in the number of pupils and schools appealing against results.’

Full story

The Guardian, 10th December 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Care Quality Commission not yet an effective regulator, say MPs – BBC News

Posted December 11th, 2015 in health, news, quality assurance, reports, select committees by tracey

‘The Care Quality Commission, the health watchdog in England, is “not yet an effective regulator”, MPs say.’

Full story

BBC News, 11th December 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

SRA to research competence of personal injury lawyers – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is to launch a research project on the “competence” of personal injury lawyers, it has emerged.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 4th December 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Rise in mental health detentions shows ‘services are struggling’ – The Guardian

‘Mental health campaigners have expressed concern that detentions under the Mental Health Act have risen by almost 10% in England in the past year.’

Full story

The Guardian, 23rd October 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

LSB: criminal advocacy reforms “should not be designed around” any particular group of lawyers – Legal Futures

Posted October 7th, 2015 in advocacy, barristers, criminal justice, news, quality assurance, solicitors by sally

‘It is important that government plans to enhance the quality of criminal defence advocacy in publicly funded cases “should not be designed around one particular professional group”, the Legal Services Board (LSB) has warned.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 7th October 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Government to outlaw legal referral fees – Ministry of Justice

Posted October 2nd, 2015 in advocacy, consultations, criminal justice, fees, press releases, quality assurance by tracey

‘A new statutory ban on referral fees in criminal cases is among proposals announced by the Legal Aid Minister Shailesh Vara today.’

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 1st Ocotber 2015

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

Regulators issue consultation on minor changes to QASA – Bar Standards Board

Posted October 2nd, 2015 in advocacy, barristers, consultations, quality assurance, solicitors by tracey

‘Legal regulators Bar Standards Board (BSB), Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and CILEx Regulation, the three also known as the Joint Advocacy Group (JAG), are preparing for the implementation of the Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates (QASA) by launching a new consultation today.’

Full consultation

Bar Standards Board, 1st October 2015

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Broadmoor Hospital inspection reveals ‘urgent’ changes required – BBC News

‘Broadmoor Hospital has been told to make urgent changes after a report which highlighted the “overuse” of face-down restraints on patients. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated the high-security hospital in Berkshire “inadequate” after an inspection.’

Full story

BBC News, 16th September 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

NHS hospital trust put in special measures over serious care failings – The Guardian

Posted September 10th, 2015 in health, hospitals, news, quality assurance, reports by tracey

‘An NHS hospital trust has been put into special measures after inspectors found serious failings in the safety and quality of its care for patients, including untrained receptionists assessing how seriously unwell new arrivals at A&E were. West Hertfordshire Hospitals trust became the latest trust to be ordered to make big improvements after the Care Quality Commission watchdog rated its services overall as “inadequate”.’

Full story

The Guardian, 10th September 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

David Bedenham Discusses HMRC’s Alcohol Wholesalers Registration Scheme that Commences on 1 October 2015 – 11 KBW

‘Alcohol duty fraud costs the treasury an estimated £1 billion per annum. HMRC has stated that
‘the wholesale sector is the major point where illicit alcohol is diverted by organised criminals into retail supply chains…this link in the supply chain is vulnerable because it is the only activity not required to be authorised by HMRC…Introducing a requirement for wholesalers to register with HMRC will address this and reduce opportunities for fraud.’’

Full story

11 KBW, 4th September 2015

Source: www.11kbw.com

Shipman reforms ‘could have saved Furness General Hospital babies’ – BBC News

‘Baby deaths at an NHS hospital could have been prevented if reforms recommended after the Harold Shipman case were made, it has been claimed.’

Full story

BBC News, 5th September 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Regina (Lumsdon and others) v Legal Services Board – WLR Daily

Regina (Lumsdon and others) v Legal Services Board [2015] UKSC 41; [2015] WLR (D) 270

‘The decision of the Legal Services Board to approve the Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates (“QASA”), introduced by the regulators to assess the performance of criminal advocates in England and Wales, complied with the requirements of article 9 of Parliament and Council Directive 2006/123/EC and regulation 14 of the Provision of Services Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2999), and was proportionate and lawful.’

WLR Daily, 24th June 2015

Source: www.iclr.co.uk