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⚡ Source: ReedRef: 56789290

Best Interest Assessor

The Guardian·Woking·Posted 2 weeks ago
🏠 Hybrid💰 48-48k GBP/year
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Job description

Original text imported from Reed

The starting salary for this role is 47,884 per annum based on a 36-hour working week. We have a great opportunity to join our Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DOLS) team as a Best Interest Assessor. We support hybrid working with the right balance. We come together in person for 2 days per week on average (40% of the working week) and support working from home the rest of the time. Our Offer to You: 26 days' holiday, rising to 28 days after 2...
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Key skills

AI-extracted from the job advert

Must-have skills
Best Interest Assessor qualificationMental Capacity Act 2005DOLS assessmentsSafeguarding adultsSocial work qualification
Nice-to-have
AMHP qualificationCare home experienceHospital social workLiberty Protection Safeguards knowledge
Soft skills
CommunicationEmpathyAnalytical thinkingDecision makingAdvocacyProfessional judgement
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Application advice

5 AI-generated recommendations to maximise your chances.

1

⭐ Highlight your Best Interest Assessor qualification prominently as this is the core requirement for the DOLS team role

2

📊 Quantify your assessment experience: 'Completed 150+ DOLS assessments with 95% compliance rate'

3

🌐 Emphasise your Mental Capacity Act knowledge as this underpins all safeguarding decisions

4

🎯 Mention hybrid working experience as The Guardian offers 2 days in-office, 3 days remote

5

🤝 Showcase multi-agency collaboration skills essential for working across care homes and hospitals

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Suggested CV bullets

3 bullets our AI drafted for this specific advert, mirroring its ATS keywords.

How to tailor your CV

Add these 3 bullets under your most recent experience:

  • Completed 180 Best Interest Assessments over 18 months, achieving 98% compliance with Mental Capacity Act statutory timescales
  • Led safeguarding investigations for 25 vulnerable adults in care homes, resulting in 12 successful DOLS authorisations
  • Collaborated with 15 NHS trusts and 40 care providers to ensure appropriate liberty protection across 3 local authority areas

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Letter preview — tailored to The Guardian

Dear Hiring Manager,

The Guardian's commitment to protecting vulnerable adults through your DOLS team aligns perfectly with my passion for safeguarding work, particularly my expertise in Best Interest Assessments and Mental Capacity Act applications.

My background in statutory social work has equipped me with the analytical skills and professional judgement essential for complex capacity assessments across care settings.

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Interview questions

10 questions generated from this advert.

Technical

  • How do you assess mental capacity under the Mental Capacity Act 2005?
  • What are the key differences between DOLS and Liberty Protection Safeguards?
  • How do you determine if a deprivation of liberty is occurring?
  • What documentation is required for a Best Interest Assessment?
  • How do you handle disagreements between family and care providers about best interests?

Behavioural

  • Tell me about a time you had to make a difficult safeguarding decision
  • Describe how you've advocated for a vulnerable adult's rights
  • How do you manage competing priorities when dealing with urgent assessments?
  • Give an example of when you've had to challenge professional colleagues
  • How do you ensure your assessments remain person-centred?
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STAR answer examples

Model answers using the Situation-Task-Action-Result framework. Adapt to your own experience.

1Question

Tell me about a time you had to make a difficult safeguarding decision

I was assessing an 82-year-old gentleman with dementia whose family wanted him to return home, but care staff believed he lacked capacity to make this decision safely. I conducted a thorough capacity assessment over 3 visits, involving his daughter and GP. Despite family pressure, my assessment showed he couldn't understand the risks of living alone. I recommended continued care home placement with enhanced family contact arrangements. The family initially disagreed, but after explaining my reasoning and arranging daily video calls, they accepted the decision. Six months later, his condition had deteriorated significantly, validating the protective decision while maintaining family relationships.
2Question

How do you manage competing priorities when dealing with urgent assessments?

During a particularly busy period, I had 8 urgent DOLS assessments due within 7 days across 4 different care homes. I immediately triaged based on risk levels and statutory deadlines, prioritising a hospital discharge case and two care home residents with family disputes. I coordinated with managers to arrange back-to-back visits, completed 3 assessments in one day, and used travel time for report writing. I communicated daily with all facilities about progress and managed to complete 7 assessments within deadline. The remaining case received a brief extension with full documentation. This systematic approach ensured no vulnerable person was left without proper safeguarding.

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