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Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS

The government have confirmed that implementation of the Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS) will now take place by April 2022. As we await the public consultation and a Code of Practice for LPS, we know as a market leader in Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) services under the Mental Capacity Act, there is much work to do to understand the wider scope and impact of people affected under LPS.

We welcome LPS as a mechanism that can be used in any setting, covering people aged 16 and above, who have a mental disorder, lack mental capacity to consent to being deprived of their liberty.

However, as these settings will include not just hospitals and care homes (under the current DoLS system) but expand to any residential setting, including domestic care in the person’s own home, we know that the number of people to come under the scope of the LPS will increase exponentially from 2022.

Xyla Health and Social Services is a market leader in the provision of Deprivation of Liberty and Safeguarding (DoLS) services. In the past 5 years, we have completed over 12,000 best interests assessments (BIAs) and Mental Health Act (MHA) assessments, including community DoLS assessments which undertook judicial review in Court of Protection with an average acceptance upon first submission of 93.7%.

We have a variety of support options to help with the transition and implementation of LPS whilst ensuring individuals are supported by a legal framework to safeguard their best interests, including:

Demand mapping across your service provision and community for all those who may be in need of LPS in future

Support, training and guidance for local authority staff and providers

Packages to reduce or eliminate backlogs of DoLS cases to enable internal teams to focus on implementation of new legislation

Packages to ensure new front door referrals are managed appropriately and capacity is matched to demand in a sustainable manner

Consultancy support to ensure DoLS/LPS services are fit for the future

Our tailor-made services offer:

Screening of cases

Completion of Best Interest Assessments (BIAs) and Mental Health Assessments (MHAs)

Full Quality Assurance (QA) and you only pay when you are happy

Partial completion of Form 5

Legacy reporting and shadowing of our own BIAs to help with the development of internal services and future sustainability

Utilising managed services -the benefits:

An experienced team who have delivered thousands of assessments -this includes two internally employed DoLS Leads who oversee Quality Assurance

A robust selection process for all our assessors which includes reviewing anonymised assessments and ongoing auditing of cases with Relevant Person Representatives

Ongoing development and supervision of assessors through learning and development forums, development of best practice guidance which reflects legislative changes and training videos

Consideration is given to a person’s confinement, capacity and deprivation of liberty throughout the assessment process with an emphasis on good, robust care planning, which will be vital for the success of LPS.

What our clients say

“We approached Xyla Health and Social Services (formerly ICS Assessment Services) on the enthusiastic recommendation of a service manager in the council, with a budget in mind to clear a backlog of best interests assessments. However, on the strength and comprehensiveness of their proposal, we requested they take on a larger batch and increased the budget, confident that they could deliver their objectives in a thorough manner and adhere to agreed timescales.”

What our clients say

“What we appreciated about the solutions they provided was that they were specifically tailored to us. Their representatives spent a number of weeks with the council building up their knowledge of our services and putting in the groundwork for the exceptional level of consultation they provided”

What our clients say

“Xyla Health and Social Services (formerly ICS Assessment Services) consistently provided weekly management reports updating us on their progress, which was invaluable from a strategic perspective. Throughout the course of the project, their DoLS Lead Elly Davies was always availableto resolve any issues and concerns that arose, fostering a strong working relationship to ensure the best possible outcomes. The guidance she provided using her excellent knowledge of the field was truly appreciated by us all.”

What our clients say

“I would wholeheartedly recommend Xyla Health and Social Services (formerly ICS Assessment Services) to any Council looking to clear an assessment backlog or procure social work services on a managed outcome service.”

Warwickshire County Council
Deprivation of Liberty Safeguarding Lead