Scottish Legal Aid Board - Scottish National Standards for Information and Advice Providers - Peer Review scheme –
Peer Reviewers role specification
Overview of the SNSIAP Peer Review Scheme
The model
The new model of accreditation and support for the SNSIAP retains a focus on both the organisational and technical quality of advice. However, unlike the old model,it separates the independent peer review of casework from the audit of evidence provided by the organisation of achievement across all the Scottish National Standards. Agencies seeking to be accredited for Type II or III (those undertaking casework) advice will have to complete a successful peer review before they can go forward for audit under the Standards.
Independent peer review will be based on the competences defined in the SNSIAP for organisations providing Type II and III advice in the three areas of advice covered by the SNSIAP: housing, money/debt and welfare benefits. Its purpose will be to encourage and support advice providers to continuously improve, by providing a means of evidencing how effectively technical quality is assured within their advice service.
An advice provider wishing to be peer reviewed will submit a sample of case files for peer review to SLAB using an online file-sharing process. The peer reviewer will be provided with online access to these case files to carry out the review remotely and provide a report to SLAB identifying strengths/weaknesses in the provider’s advice provision. Moderation and oversight of the peer review process will be provided by the Moderation Committee.
Periodically, a small number of peer reviewers will be asked to double-mark a random selection of case files taken from agencies seeking peer review to ensure consistency between peer reviewers and to improve standards within the peer reviewer team. These reports will also be sent to the SNSIAP Moderation Committee for consideration.
Time commitment
We estimate that each peer review will take about 2 days (including report writing). Peer reviewers will also be required to attend compulsory training and updating sessions (taking up about 4 days a year). Once the peer review cycle is established we anticipate that the time commitment will be about four to six days each quarter,although this may vary. If a peer reviewer does 2 peer reviews a quarter that will work out as:
4 days per quarter + 4 days training/updating per year = 20 days per year
3 peer reviews a quarter will work out as:
6 days per quarter + 4 days training/updating per year = 28 days per year
Peer reviewers will be offered a one-year contract for services - they will not be employees of SLAB.
The Requirement for Confidentiality
It is of the utmost importance that peer reviewers preserve the confidentiality of the peer review process. All peer reviewers will be required to sign a data protection agreement with SLAB setting out their data-processing responsibilities during their peer reviewing contract.
Role Specification
The essential and desirable requirements we are looking for in the Peer Review team are set out below.
Essential requirements:
- At least five years experience of delivering advice, supervising advice or providing training in housing, money/debt or welfare benefits casework (peer reviewers do not need to be able to peer review cases in all three subjects and applications are welcome from those able to act as peer reviewers in any one of the subject areas).
- Currently delivering, supervising or providing training in housing, money/debt or welfare benefits casework.
- Experience of working in the not-for-profit sector.
- Experience of a wide range of cases within the relevant casework area in terms of type and complexity of case and ability to show comparable levels of experience in any advice area that they wish to peer review.
Desirable requirements:
- Experience of conducting assessments (e.g. file reviews) and providing constructive feedback in any area of social welfare law.
- Experience of delivering competence-based training.
In addition, applicants will have to demonstrate that they can meet the key competencies of the post, set out below. Applicants will be offered an opportunity to demonstrate this in an interview and by completing a peer review competency test.
Key competencies
Assessment skills
- Able to provide objective assessments of case files using the SNS assessment process.
Acceptance of different approaches to advice-giving
- Able to appreciate different ways of working and approaches to delivering advice.
- Open and responsive to constructive feedback about performance.
Self-management skills and administration
- Able to manage own time and resources to meet deadlines.
Decision-making skills
- Able to make difficult decisions after considering alternatives and to justify those decisions.
Attention to detail
- Able to check own work and pick up any possible errors.
Communication
- Able to produce concise written reports using plain English in Microsoft Word.
Interpersonal
- Able to identify strengths in someone else’s work and phrase criticism in a constructive way.
Confidentiality
- Committed to holding in confidence all information obtained during accreditation processes, including information from discussions with other peer reviewers or SLAB staff and from case files sent for peer review.
Motivational
- Motivated to engage with the peer review process and to contribute to its development by offering constructive criticism about the process and identifying ways in which it can be improved.
Equalities
- Committed to the promotion of equality and diversity.
Remuneration
Peer reviewers will be compensated directly for their time. Payment will include all activities undertaken whilst active in the role as a Peer Reviewer, including any training or related activities. If the peer reviewer is released to do peer review work from their usual workplace we will compensate his or her employer for the loss of their adviser, allowing them to employ a replacement. Payment for the Peer Review role will in these circumstances be made directly to the peer reviewer’s employer.
Payment will be made at a rate of £190 plus VAT per day for peer review assessment activities and training.
For further background information on the role please consult the job advert.
The Scottish Legal Aid Board 1