Press Release
Another satisfying year for the Public Defender Service
26 January 2006
The Public Defender Service (PDS) is still achieving consistently high quality of service, as shown in their Annual Report 2004/05 published today by the Legal Services Commission.
Scoring even higher on client satisfaction* than last year – up from 97% to 99% overall – individually, five out of the eight offices attained a 100% rating.**
Gaynor Ogden, Head of Employed Services at the Legal Services Commission believes the improvement is due to the introduction of two key internal processes to further ensure efficiency and quality – internal peer review and Service Audit For Efficiency (SAFE), which examines compliance against the Specialist Quality Mark, the General Criminal Contract and service procedures.
Gaynor Ogden said: “From a standing start four years ago we have built up a successful business in which quality of service and client focus are key. We have learned much along the way, and are constantly adapting in order to improve. I am delighted that once again our clients have shown their satisfaction with our service.”
Diverting people away from crime is also high on the agenda for the PDS. One success story was a fifteen-year-old girl, a prolific offender who had been represented by PDS solicitor James Fenny for two years. He identified a local support and counselling service for young people and referred her there. Through the help she received she managed to stop the cycle of re-offending, and James even helped her to get a job at a local restaurant.
Public Defenders have also pioneered new services for clients, every area having an outreach service to make it easier for people to see a solicitor. Additionally each branch has a dedicated “Diversionary Support Worker”. Research published last year (Causes of Action, Pascoe Pleasance et al), showed that people with legal difficulties often have more than one problem at a time. Diversionary Support Workers help clients to address their problems by referring them to other services including drug rehabilitation services or debt advisors.
Gaynor Ogden said: “We are pleased that this year we have dealt with more cases but at a lower overall cost.”
The PDS also commissioned a report by independent costs draftsman Gilles Ward. He is reported as saying: “It is my opinion that the instruction of the PDS in large cases can effect considerable savings to the public purse.”
In one particular case examined in Mr Ward’s report, of a PDS client charged with conspiracy to murder which lasted fifteen months, he estimated the value of the saving to be in the region of £50,000 to £75,000.
* Figures based on total responses from client questionnaires
** All clients returning a questionnaire had indicated they were ‘fairly’ or ‘very’ satisfied with what the PDS did for them
Media information:
Sarah Threapleton Tel: 0121 237 5584
Dan Kellingley Tel: 020 7759 0415
Copies of the annual report are available from Sarah Threapleton, PDS Communications Manager, or on the LSC’s website http://www.legalservices.gov.uk/docs/pds/PDSannual_report_final.pdf
Notes to editors:
1. The White Paper, Modernising Justice (December 1998), announced the Government’s intention that a proportion of Criminal Defence Services in England and Wales should be provided by lawyers directly employed by the Legal Services Commission.
2. The Lord Chancellor's Department (now Department for Constitutional Affairs) Consultation Paper, ‘Establishing a Salaried Defender Service’ (June 2000), set out the plans for the establishment and operation of PDS. This paper stated that the initial period of PDS would be a start-up phase, lasting four years, which would coincide with an external independent research programme.
3. A report of the independent research findings will be published later this year.
4. Gaynor Ogden, Head of Employed Services, is available for interview to discuss the Annual Report and the future direction of the PDS.
5. All PDS offices were rated category 1 (the highest category) at the time of their last cost compliance audit.
Last updated: 28 December 2006