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Remote Preferred Provider pilots in Riverina

Remote Preferred Provider scheme

Background

Legal Aid NSW is piloting a Remote Preferred Provider (RPP) scheme for the allocation of care matters in the Riverina. Under the pilot, care matters will be allocated to remote preferred providers who are selected from Legal Aid NSW’s Care and Protection Panel. 

The scheme cover the allocation of all grants of aid in care matters in this communities: that is, representation of the child or children the subject of an application; the parent(s); and any adult third party or parties joined to the proceedings.

Practitioners are selected as Remote Preferred Providers following a call for Expressions of Interest based on the following selection criteria:

  • Appointment to appropriate Legal Aid NSW Panel;
  • Ability and willingness to travel to the Riverina semi-regularly;
  • Proven capacity to deliver high quality legal services to disadvantaged clients both in person and electronically, and a demonstrated understanding of the complex needs of these clients.

Practitioners are selected as Remote Preferred Providers for six months, after which the pilots will be reviewed. The schemes may cease or continue, with or without changes, following this review.

Guidelines

Roster requirements

  1. Be available to accept care and protection work in their designated remote community on a rostered basis.
  2. Be willing and able to travel to their designated community on a semi regular basis (usually for hearings and dispute resolution conferences) to responsively and effectively undertake care work in those communities.
  3. Deliver high quality legal services to disadvantaged clients both in person and electronically, and a demonstrated understanding of the complex needs of these clients.
  4. Attend on a case work or duty basis.
  5. Liaise with the Legal Aid Wagga and Albury Offices regarding roster commitments.
  6. Organise a swap or substitute with another practitioner on the Riverina Remote Preferred Provider Scheme roster if unavailable to attend on the rostered date, and advise the Duty Coordinator via Duty.Scheme@legalaid.nsw.gov.au of the arrangement.
  7. Notify the Duty Coordinator as soon as possible via Duty.Scheme@legalaid.nsw.gov.au if unavailable to attend on the rostered date and no other practitioner on the Riverina Remote Preferred Provider Scheme roster is available to swap or substitute.
  8. Undertake training and professional development as identified by Legal Aid NSW.

Travel allowance

  1. The travel allowance applicable to all Legal Aid NSW law types applies to the Riverina Remote Preferred Provider Scheme.
  2. Travel may be claimed once per visit to the designated remote community.
  3. Travel may be claimed either on a duty tax invoice, or against one case matter, as instructed by the Grants Division.
  4. Travel claims for the Riverina Remote Preferred Provider Scheme may be audited.

Allocations

  1. A client will be represented by a member of the Riverina Remote Preferred Provider Scheme where a local practitioner is not available.
  2. A lawyer must be a member of the Care and Protection Panel for consideration for appointment to the Riverina Remote Preferred Provider Scheme.
  3. Legal Aid NSW will consider the number of lawyers required for the Riverina Remote Preferred Provider Scheme based on the business needs of Legal Aid NSW.
  4. Allocation of lawyers to the Riverina Remote Preferred Provider Scheme will be determined by Legal Aid NSW based on:
    1. the ability of lawyers to travel to the required locations
    2. proven capacity to deliver high quality legal services to disadvantaged clients both in person and electronically
  5. demonstrated understanding of the complex needs of these clients
  6. A review of allocations to the Riverina Remote Preferred Provider Scheme roster will be conducted after the six months trial.

Dispute resolution

  1. In the event of a dispute between members of the Riverina Remote Preferred Provider Scheme, the members shall attempt to settle the dispute.
  2. If the dispute is not settled by the parties, either party shall submit the dispute to the Legal Aid NSW Duty Scheme Coordinator for determination by the Grants Division of Legal Aid NSW.

Compliance

  1. In addition to these Guidelines, the obligations arising under the Legal Aid NSW Service Agreement and Quality Standards apply to Riverina Remote Preferred Provider Scheme members.
  2. A Riverina Remote Preferred Provider Scheme member’s failure to comply with these Guidelines, the Service Agreement and/or Quality Standards may result in removal from the Riverina Remote Preferred Provider Scheme and/or referral to the Private Lawyer Quality Standards Unit for investigation.

Invoicing Legal Aid NSW

  1. Lawyers on the Riverina Remote Preferred Provider Scheme must submit an invoice for their rostered day through Grants Online.
  2. Invoices are to be submitted within 30 days of the service.

If you have any questions regarding these guidelines please contact the Legal Aid NSW Duty Scheme Coordinator on (02) 9219 5122 or by email at dutyscheme@legalaid.nsw.gov.au