1. HIA Quality Standard and AQS Presentation
Dawn Draper Quality Manager Advice Services Alliance (ASA)
Liz Morris Quality Manager Recognising Excellence

2. Purpose of this Session
• Introduction to the AQS
• The benefits of holding a Quality Standard
• The HIA/Foundations and AQS Passporting Relationship
• Accreditation Routes and Options
• Links between HIA Quality Mark and the AQS
• AQS Fast Track Support Package
• Application and Assessment Process
• Useful Documentation
• Further Information

3. What is the AQS?
• Advice Quality Standard (AQS)
• Owned by Advice Services Alliance (ASA)
• Umbrella body for independent advice services in the UK
• Primarily an organisational standard
• Applicable to any advice service operating at the Generalist level and
above, defined as: ‘’being able to provide basic initial legal advice in
most areas of law”
• Independent assessment body
• Continuous Improvement Tool

4. The Benefits of holding AQS
• Assurance of Quality
• External validation that your service is working according to the best practice for
your clients demonstrating that the quality of service delivered is at the heart of your
work and not an additional add-on
• Achieving AQS will support the delivery of the Care Act requirement to provide
quality advice
• Access to funding and Competitive Advantage
• Many funders and commissioners insist on seeing quality standards in place -
Achievement of ‘Validated’ HIA Level and ‘Approved’ HIA Level status/AQS
Accreditation
• Non commissioned services still need to demonstrate quality and strategic relevance
• All agencies who achieve the Quality Mark automatically receive a premium listing
on FindmyHIA

5. Benefits continued…
• Better Client Outcomes
• Evidence from AQS holders has shown that the outcomes for clients using a quality
marked service are greater than the outcomes from those without
• Better Risk Assessment
• The discipline of the AQS ensures that services are keeping on top of the main areas
of risk; knowing about and anticipating risk is a key factor in service sustainability
• Accountability
• Board of Trustees and senior management teams can use the report from the AQS to
evidence good practice and to build a better understanding of the service
• Corrective actions and areas for improvement can help Trustees develop long term
strategies and business plans

6. Benefits continued…
Benchmarking
• As one of 610 organisations which hold the AQS you have access to a range of
organisations undertaking similar or comparable work to you
• As HIAs achieve AQS, opportunity to benchmark within the sector
• Opportunities for Referrals
• AQS holders refer to other AQS as first choice as it is transparent on the
quality of service
• Partnerships built on the basis that the AQS is a common language across
different services - Stronger partnership working and enhanced credibility

7. AQS and HIA Relationship
• Foundations are appointed by the Ministry of Housing, Communities
& Local Government to oversee the national network of 200 HIA’s
• As commissioned services HIAs recognise the vital importance of
ensuring quality services
• HIA Quality Mark has been the definitive standard for HIAs since
2004. This can now lead to the Advice Quality Standard under a
unique passporting arrangement

8. AQS Accreditation Routes and Options
Option 1 - HIA Route
• HIA completes desk top using the HIA Quality
Mark Evidence Template 2017
• Template submitted to Roy McNally
Development Manager for the North of
England
• Application considered for basic ‘Validated
HIA’ Level
• Progress to on-site AQS Assessment
• Successfully AQS accredited HIAs considered
‘Approved HIA’
• 2 year assessment review cycle
Option 2 – AQS Direct Route
• HIA undergoes AQS Desktop Assessment
• Successful AQS Desktop completed proceed
to full assessment
• Progress to on-site AQS Assessment
• Successfully AQS accredited HIAs considered
‘Approved HIA’
• 2 year assessment review cycle

9. Links between the HIA Quality Mark and AQS
HIA Quality Mark AQS Quality Standard
Objective 1 Minimum Services from an HIA Section A Access to Service
Section B Seamless Service
Objective 2 Assessment & Support Planning
Client Needs
Section B Seamless Service
Section F Meeting client’s needs
Objective 3 Duty of Care to Clients and Staff Section B Seamless Service
Section F Meeting client’s needs
Objective 4 Fair Access, Diversity and Inclusion Section A Access to Service
Objective 5 Privacy and Confidentiality Section F Meeting client’s needs
Objective 6 Listening to our Customers Section G Commitment to Quality
Objective 7 Forward Planning and Finance Section A Access to Service
Section C Running the organisation
Objective 8 Staff well trained, managed and
involved in service planning
Section D People Management
Objective 9 Case and File Management Section E Running the Service
Objective 10 Governance and high level Section A Access to Service

10. AQS Fast Track Support Package
• Access to AQS template Quality Manual (includes a set of operational
standards, policies and procedures that you can adapt to your own
practice)
• Access to AQS Webinar Suite (covering all sections of the AQS
Standard and common pitfalls)
• Document Review Telephone Appointment before application
(includes interpretation of the Standard)
• On-going telephone Quality Manager support

11. Pricing Schedule
Audit Type Size of Organisation
Total No of Days Involved
(incl Prep and Report
Writing)
Net Price £ Per
Assessment (excl VAT)
Fast Track Support Package
If an application for assessment is made within 3
months of commitment, a total of £100 will be
discounted from the desktop audit fee. 175.00
Desk top Audit (unless completing HIA
Quality Award All
475
Initial Audit 1 - 3 people 1.5 937.50
4 - 15 people 2 1250.00
16 - 30 people 2.5 1562.50
31 - 50 people 3 1875.00
51 - 100 people 3.5 2187.50
Monitoring Audit (2 Yearly cycle after the
above) 1 - 3 people 1.5 937.50
4 - 15 people 2 1250.00
16 - 30 people 2.5 1562.50
31 - 50 people 3 1875.00
51 - 100 people 3.5 2187.50

12. Application and Assessment Process
• HIA Quality Standard Report Submission or AQS Desktop completed
• Assessor to determine alignment against AQS requirements
• On-site assessment activity:
• Staff Interviews
• Assessor to conduct File Reviews
• Review of central records
• Full Assessment Report against the Standard
• Corrective Action – 28 days
• 2 year anniversary monitoring review cycle

13. Additional Useful Documentation
• AQS Standard V2
• Application Guidance Edition 8
• Assessment Preparation Guide
• Self Assessment Table
• Pricing Schedule

14. Further Information
• If you interested in finding out more about the scheme and options
available to your HIA please contact:
• Liz Morris – Quality Manager Recognising Excellence
Liz.morris@recognisingexcellence.co.uk 07394 563357
• Dawn Draper – Quality Manager Advice Service Manager
dawndraper@asauk.org.uk 07490 277285