Bar complaints system should be “more accessible”

The Strategic Review of the Complaints and Disciplinary Processes of the Bar Standards Board (the Behrens Review), published this week by independent complaints commissioner, Rob Behrens, concludes that the strengths of the Bar’s complaints handling system outweigh its weaknesses, but that it needs significant changes.

The report, which follows a 10-month research programme, says the pillars of the present decision-making arrangements should be retained, but greater attention should be paid to “listening to and communicating more effectively with consumers and service users, and taking prompt action to make the system less complex, less inaccessible and more obviously proportionate, independent and transparent”.

Behrens says: “I have found a good system, operated by professional staff and expert decision-makers. The quality of decision-making, based on rules set out in the excellent Code of Conduct, is high. Nevertheless, the system is in need of significant improvement.

“The Bar Standards Board (BSB) must act now to build on existing strengths and address weaknesses in the system. While the integrity of decisions on individual cases is not in question, a great deal can and should be done to make the system more accessible to the public, less complex, and more joined-up.”

BSB chairman, Ruth Evans, says: “The results of this review illustrate that we must take a number of steps to make what is a good system excellent.”
Evans expects the BSB to implement most, if not all, of the recommendations and an action plan for implementation will be produced shortly.

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