The evaluation team finds that the Disability Benefits Program Redress Process is an important component of the services provided to Canada’s Veterans. Between the different areas involved, the process ensures all the recourse mechanisms provided in legislation are available to clients, with free legal advice and representation available. It allows the opportunity for a decision to be looked at multiple times to ensure appropriate decisions have been made and clients’ concerns have been fulsomely reviewed and responded to.
With the current forecasts for the Disability Benefits program, it is reasonable to conclude the continued need for redress services now and into the future. There are opportunities to improve effectiveness and efficiency through an enhanced approach to communication and information sharing between VAC, the BPA and the VRAB to share information on trends, process/policy changes, and other issues of mutual concern.
It is also critical that VAC enhance performance measurement and quality assurance of redress decisions, through enhancing the Performance Information Profile and implementing a Quality Assurance framework which includes Departmental Reviews. VRAB can support VAC’s quality assurance efforts by tracking and providing decision reasons.