PERFORMANCE: recent figures reveal 'chronic problem' with ethics telephone service


The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) plans to radically overhaul its ethics advice helpline after recent performance figures revealed a 'chronic problem' with the service.



The figures revealed call-abandonment rates of more than 10%, and average waiting times in excess of two minutes.



One target service level is to answer 40% of all calls within 30 seconds or less. However, the helpline has not met that target in the past two years. Even if this level were achieved, it would leave the helpline some way behind most organisations, which aim for 80% of all calls to be answered in 20 seconds.



SRA chief executive Antony Townsend told last week's SRA board meeting that, despite improvements in working methods, a combination of maternity leave, secondments and retirements over the past year had led to a significant reduction in staff.



He said the recruitment issues were being addressed, but longstanding problems with the structure of the service required more fundamental change.



The helpline is only open for four hours a day (11am to 1pm and then 2pm to 4pm), which Mr Townsend said leads to enormous strain on the line at 11am and 2pm, and made it difficult for solicitors to get through.



Senior SRA management is currently looking to extend the opening hours and introduce a 'triage' system to ensure the most effective use of resources, Mr Townsend added.



Edward Solomons, chairman of the SRA's rules and ethics committee, said: 'The line is for people who want to do the right thing and want our help to do it. It is better to help them at an early stage rather than intervene later when mistakes have been made.'



Richard Taylor, solicitor member of the SRA board, added that the problems needed to be resolved now because the rule changes that will follow from the Legal Services Act would result in a step change in the number of enquiries.



Catherine Baksi