Advanced Practitioner

Sandwell Local Area Partnership; Little Fields; Remote; GBP 40,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working arrangements

Supportive staff networks

Counselling service

Employee benefits and discounts

Flexible/ flexitime options

Job summary

Sandwell Local Area Partnership is seeking an Advanced Practitioner / Best Interest Assessor to join the DoLS team. Two full-time posts and one part-time post are available on a fixed 2-year contract. Location is Oldbury Council House with 37 hours plus 18.5 hours per week, on-site.

You will oversee high-quality Best Interests Assessments, provide MCA/DoLS guidance, and contribute to workforce development across Sandwell, supporting a rights-based practice.

Qualifications

• Hold a Best Interest Assessor qualification.
• Extensive knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and DoLS.
• Strong assessment, analytical and decision-making skills.
• Able to coach, mentor and develop others.

Responsibilities

• Complete complex Best Interests Assessments under the DoLS framework.
• Provide leadership and expert advice on MCA/DoLS.
• Support and develop practitioners to improve MCA understanding and application.
• Design and deliver training, workshops and reflective practice sessions.
• Facilitate MCA and DoLS surgeries and collaborate with partners.

Skills

Best Interest Assessor

Coaching

Mentoring

Analytical skills

Education

Best Interest Assessor qualification

Job description

Grade/Salary: Grade H
Contract Type: Fixed 2 Years
Location: Oldbury Council House
Hours per week: 37 hours and 18.5 hours

Join Our Dynamic DoLS Team

Advanced Practitioner / Best Interest Assessor

2 Full-Time Posts & 1 Part-Time Post

Fixed Term Contract (2 Years)

Are you passionate about championing the rights of people who may lack capacity and driving excellence in Mental Capacity Act practice?

We are seeking highly motivated and experienced Advanced Practitioners / Best Interest Assessors (BIAs) to join our dedicated and ambitious Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) Team.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a pivotal role in a fast-paced, rewarding service where you will not only undertake high-quality Best Interests Assessments but also influence and strengthen Mental Capacity Act practice across the wider organisation and partnership network.

You can learn more about what it means to work for Adult Social Care in Sandwell here: https://www.sandwell.gov.uk/WeAreSandwell/asc/working-adult-social-care

About the Role

As an Advanced Practitioner / Best Interest Assessor, you will work within a demanding and supportive team environment to:

• Complete complex and high-quality Best Interests Assessments under the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards framework.
• Provide professional leadership and expert advice on the Mental Capacity Act and DoLS.
• Support and develop practitioners across the service to improve MCA understanding and application.
• Design and deliver training, workshops, learning events and reflective practice sessions.
• Facilitate MCA and DoLS surgeries, offering guidance and problem-solving support.
• Promote effective joint working with internal teams, providers and external partners.
• Drive continuous improvement and contribute to the development of best practice across adult social care services.

About You

You will:

• We are looking for experienced, enthusiastic professionals who:
• Hold a Best Interest Assessor qualification.
• Have significant knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.
• Demonstrate strong assessment, analytical and decision-making skills.
• Are confident in coaching, mentoring and developing others.
• Can build positive relationships and influence practice across teams and partner organisations.
• Thrive in a busy environment and are committed to delivering high-quality, person-centred outcomes.

We offer a competitive and rewarding package including:

• Dedicated support through 4 weekly supervision sessions
• A comprehesive and robust induction programme
• Strong and accessible managerial support
• Opportunities to influence and shape MCA and DoLS practice across the organisation
• A collaborative and welcoming team culture
• Meaningful and rewarding work that makes a real difference to people's lives
• The council provides an extensive corporate learning and development program, featuring management development courses, employee wellbeing workshops, and training tailored to specific job roles.
• A competitive leave allowance.
• Hybrid working arrangements and a flexitime system (subject to the needs of the service/role).
• Membership in the local government pension scheme.
• Supportive staff networks including Culture Champions, helping to fulfil our organisational culture aspirations and make us a fully inclusive employer.
• Access to a confidential counselling service (BACP approved)
• A professional coaching and mentoring offer.
• Employee performance and development processes with regular check-ins and an annual review to help you be your best.
• Recognition for your hard work through our ‘We our Sandwell’ award scheme and colleague appreciation schemes.
• Work that makes a real difference to our customers and residents, continually improving our boroughs.
• Access to our award-winning employee benefits scheme - discounts on retail, gyms, cinema, and more
• Salary sacrifice schemes for cars and bikes.

This is an exciting time to join our service. You will be at the forefront of promoting rights-based practice, strengthening workforce confidence and ensuring that people who may lack capacity are supported, protected and empowered through high-quality assessments and interventions.

If you are an experienced Best Interest Assessor looking for your next challenge and want to make a lasting impact, we would love to hear from you.

Diversity & Equality Information and Data Protection

We aim to promote equality of opportunity for all with the right mix of talent, skills and potential and welcome applications from a diverse range of candidates.

By completing the diversity questionnaire, you will help us to monitor our recruitment and selection procedures and eliminate potential areas of discrimination.

Criminal records will be considered for recruitment purposes only where the conviction is relevant.

We are a Disability Confident Employer, we have a positive approach to employing disabled people and guarantee an interview for applicants who disclose they would like to be considered under this scheme and meet the essential criteria.

If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, be sure to include these on your application.

Before submitting your application, your consent will be required to hold and process your personal data.

Find out more about equality and diversity at Sandwell here: https://www.sandwell.gov.uk/jobs/equality-diversity

https://www.sandwell.gov.uk/WeAreSandwell/council/offer