Decision details

The Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (‘DoLS’) team has an allocated assessment budget to ensure that the Council’s statutory duties (pursuant to the DoLS framework) are met. To authorise a deprivation of liberty as lawful and proportionate, each client that has been referred to the team requires six assessments.

Pursuant to Doncaster Council’s DoLS process, the BIAs complete 4 of the 6 assessments and the Mental Health Assessors (‘MHA’) complete 2 of the 6 assessments. All MHA assessments are completed by independent MHA’s via Reed agency and the assessor is paid per assessment. BIA assessments are completed via a combination of BIA trained staff employed by Doncaster Council and a cohort of independent assessors via Reed. Reed assessors are paid per assessment and Doncaster Council employed staff members receive a graded salary.

Reed sourced the independent assessor team and continue to manage the project against a set of deliverables, ensuring resource availability (where possible) in line with our weekly requests. This project was set up via an order against the overarching contractual framework agreement that Doncaster Council has with Reed. This order was placed in January 2019 and is to run for a period of three years.

On 22 March 2021 Doncaster Council will change its adult social care case management system and the Council is taking steps to increase its internal BIA workforce. On that basis, and for the remainder of the contract duration, the number of BIA referrals will gradually be reduced and phased out (with the project continuing to its end date providing MHA assessments only).

On that basis, and over a period of 12 weeks starting w/c Monday 5 April 2021, the number of BIA assessment requests will be reduced on a weekly basis. The gradual reduction will be confirmed via email on a weekly basis (and a week in advance of the assessors being required) so that Reed can confirm that it has a sufficient supply of assessors to meet the current demand.

During this 12 week transition period it is not anticipated that the number of MHA assessments as predicted in the original order will increase/ decrease. If the position does change, Doncaster Council will provide Reed with 2 weeks’ notice of any change.

A variation to the order placed has been completed in writing and signed by both parties confirming the above.

To utilise the team’s assessment budget in an alternative way; to procure fewer Best Interest Assessor (‘BIA’) assessments via Reed agency (pursuant to the current DoLS team order against the overarching framework) and instead use the available budget to employ more BIA staff in the team on fixed term contracts.

An ODR2 has been completed as the value of the change equates to approximately £74,000 of the budget that will be used to employ members of staff within the team, and will not be used to pay for BIA assessments procured via Reed.

There are no other reasonable alternatives to the change proposed other than to continue with the current arrangement with Reed. Assessments are required to be completed by law. By utilising the budget in this way, management within the DoLS team will have greater control over the quality and quantity of the work produced and also it reflects better value for money than paying per assessment.

This decision has been discussed with officers in finance, HR and legal services to ensure all relevant governance has taken place.