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About Us
Do you want to help us radically change the way we deliver social care?
Join Oxfordshire County Council on an exciting journey towards Delivering the Future Together, our ambitious transformation programme which is enabling us to be an employer, partner, and place shaper of choice. We’re seeking the right people who can help us get there while embracing our value of ‘ daring to do it differently’ , as we continue to strive to do better.
In Adult Services, this means we’re daring to do adult social care differently by supporting Oxfordshire’s residents to stay fit, healthy and independent in their communities for as long as possible through a strength’s-based approach. Working with local NHS services, care providers and community and voluntary groups, we make the most of what each of our strengths are, pulling in the same direction, and united by one shared vision.
This means we keep the people we support at the heart of all that we do. And that works. By listening to people and building on the positives in their lives, we can work collaboratively to help them live the lives they want with the right support around them.
It is something we call the Oxfordshire Way and we can’t do it alone – our proactive, positive approach to social care gives everyone the opportunity to make a bigger difference. If we’re doing a good job, we don’t stand still – we’re ambitious and we’re always striving to do better; it’s in our DNA.
We continue to be a financially stable local authority and our investment in Adult Services has created a number of vacancies. It’s a really exciting time to join us!
About The Role & Team
We are seeking to appoint a qualified Best Interest Assessor (BIA) to our Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DOLS) team.
The DoLS Team is a closely knit team that offers a supportive environment where members can develop their BIA skills. The team BIA’s deal mainly with the more complex referrals where detailed knowledge of the legislation involved is key. The Team is also available to give advice where required to internal staff and our external partners such as care homes and hospitals.
The team works to ensure that all the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) assessments are completed appropriately and to a high standard and to ensure that the Local Authority is operating a DoLS service across Health and Social Care and within the legislative requirements placed upon the authority.
The post holder will be responsible for carrying out assessments and reviews under the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards 2007 (Amendment to Mental Capacity Act 2005). On completion of the assessment they will make recommendations and conditions, if applicable, for the authorisation to the relevant Supervisory Body in order to promote the least restrictive practice and maximise peoples’ independence and rights to liberty.
DOLS team members work mainly from home and are in contact with each other electronically to support with any arising issues. As a BIA in our DOLS team you will have a high degree of autonomy and flexibility over the way you manage your workload and receive monthly supervision from the Team’s manager.
About You
If you are a qualified Best Interest Assessor, who is self-motivated, and enjoys a high degree of autonomy and professional responsibility – then we would like to hear from you. A keen interest in the law, especially the Mental Capacity Act, and relevant case law would also be an advantage. You will need excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
A Best Interests Assessor must have understanding and respect for individuals’ qualities, abilities and diverse backgrounds and applies this to their practice. They must have the ability to act independently, and to establish effective relationships with service users, people lacking capacity and carers, as well as providers.
You are
• Driven to do things differently to find creative solutions that problem solves with the person, rather than for the person.
• Willing to take responsibility, you are a self-leader with the ambition to lead your community in different areas of adult social care.
• Kind and caring, with an understanding of and respect for individuals’ qualities, abilities and diverse backgrounds.
• Advocating for equality and integrity in all you do, and with your strong communication skills you work collaboratively to achieve the best outcome.
• Always learning, with an excellent working knowledge of legislation and statutory guidance, you have natural entrepreneurial qualities.
• Passionate about following the professional standards of RCOT and HCPC .
Rewards And Benefits
• Culture of flexible working
• Technology to support agile working where role permits
• Up to 33 days holiday p.a. plus bank holidays
• Option to ‘buy’ additional holiday
• Employee Assistance Programme including access to health and wellbeing support
• Membership of the Local Government contributory pension scheme, with an employer’s contribution of up to 19.9%
• Enhanced family friendly policies
• Local and national discounts for shopping and travel
• Great learning and development opportunities to support your ongoing development
Would you like to know more?
Please click here to view the Job Description and Selection Criteria
For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Robert Barton at
