Court of Protection Team Lead Practitioner | NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board

NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board; Preston; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional integrated care board in Preston is seeking a dedicated professional to lead on Court of Protection cases. The role involves ensuring compliance with the Mental Capacity Act and supporting colleagues in clinical practice. Applicants should have relevant qualifications and experience in safeguarding and excellent leadership skills. This position is integral in promoting best practices within health and care services.

Qualifications

• Significant experience with Court of Protection activity.
• Strong understanding of the Mental Capacity Act and legislation.
• Excellent communication, leadership and organizational skills.

Responsibilities

• Support colleagues in MCA and DOLS matters.
• Develop best practice standards for safeguarding legislation.
• Provide professional leadership and expertise.
• Initiate and complete Court of Protection applications.
• Communicate complex sensitive information effectively.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Understanding of Mental Capacity Act

Safeguarding knowledge

Education

Nursing, Social Work, or relevant health qualification

Job description

The post holder will uphold the values of the organisation and lead by example supporting a working culture across the Lancashire & South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (LSC ICB). The role will lead on Court of Protection (COP) cases to ensure ICB compliance with the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) and the Court of Protection.

Key responsibilities

• Support and advise colleagues in matters relating to the MCA and DOLS, ensuring current case law and legislation are embedded into clinical practice to promote best practice and compliance with the law.
• Develop and set best practice standards relating to the MCA, safeguarding and associated legislation.
• Provide strong professional leadership and expertise to colleagues within the ICB and to external stakeholders such as the Local Authority and provider Trusts.
• Initiate and complete CoP applications and advise and support patients and their representatives throughout.
• Act in accordance with professional standards providing leadership, motivation and support to colleagues of all disciplines, ensuring compliance with statutory, mandatory local policy and guidance requirements.
• Support capacity assessments and best interest meetings.
• Provide support with the current tracking system of CoP applications required across the ICB, triaging referrals utilising a prioritisation model.
• Maintain a high level of communication to work with clinical leaders, legal teams, Court professionals and senior external colleagues to support the progression of Court applications whilst also supporting patients and their representatives to improve their experience.
• Communicate complex sensitive information effectively.
• Deal with frequent difficult situations arising from the complex nature of CoP applications and apply least restrictive principles as per the MCA (2005).
• Maintain professional confidentiality in all matters relating to patient care and seek advice where required when sharing patient information.
• Keep up to date knowledge regarding developments in legislation specifically The Mental Health Act (MHA), Mental Capacity Act (MCA), safeguarding and associated case law.
• Operate alongside the Safeguarding Team where health funding is in place, supporting patients in receipt of NHS funding including Continuing Healthcare (CHC), joint funding and complex care funding.

Qualifications and experience

• Highly motivated and enthusiastic Nurse, Social Worker or health professional with significant experience and genuine commitment to Court of Protection activity.
• Strong understanding of the Mental Capacity Act and Court of Protection.
• Experience in safeguarding and associated legislation.
• Excellent communication, leadership and organisational skills.

Please note that the organisation is undergoing a period of reform and organisational change. The Lancashire and South Integrated Care Board (ICB) was formally established on 1 July 2022. Our role is to join up health and care services, improve people's health and wellbeing, and ensure everyone has the same access to services and receives the same outcomes from treatment. Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB serves a population of over 1.8 million people. We uphold the values of the organisation and lead by example supporting a working culture across the ICB from a commissioning and safeguarding perspective. The main headquarters of Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB is County Hall, Preston.

Please see attached full job description for more information in the next section of the trac system. This will provide all further information regarding the post.

This advert closes on Thursday 20 Nov 2025.