Best Interest Assessors

Overview

Best Interest Assessor is an inter-professional module which aims to equip experienced practitioners in health and social care with the skills and knowledge required to enable them to undertake a Best Interest Assessment (BIA). A BIA is a specific task related to implementing the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards and on completion of the module and successful assessment, participants will be eligible to apply for approval to their Supervisory Board as a Best Interest Assessor having met in full the training requirements specified by the Department of Health. This is a one week intensive course.

Course content

The syllabus is laid down in the requirements of the five professional capabilities for Best Interest Assessors (DoH) which are embedded within a series of 6 one day workshops and practice learning opportunities.

1. Mental capacity legislation and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DOLS), their related codes of practice, national and local policy guidance
2. Relevant parts of other legislation, codes of practice, national and local policy guidance, in particular the Human Rights Act 1998, the Mental Health Acts 1983 and 2007, and law/policy related to Adult Safeguarding
3. The formal two-stage assessment of capacity
4. The impact of mental disorder on mental capacity, including the effect of social, physical and developmental factors on a person’s ability to make decisions

Teaching dates

November cohort

• Monday 23 November to Friday 27 November 2020
• Friday 8 January 2021

April cohort

This course will be delivered online.

• Monday 26 April to Friday 30 April 2021
• Friday 4 June 2021

Teaching will be predominately, if not fully delivered online

How to apply

To apply for this course you must :

• have two years post-registration experience as either an approved mental health professional or social worker registered with Social Work England
• be a first level nurse registered in Part 1 of the Register, an occupational therapist registered in Part 6 of the Register or a chartered psychologist registered with the BPS
• Provide a reference from a current or your most recent employer

Please email our CPD Social Work Administration team to express an interest in this programme.

"I came into the module very anxious and worried that I would not cope / complete it, but the way it was structured online made it very easy for me to complete all areas of the course. The trainer was very knowledgeable..."

BIA student, May 2020