Mental Capacity & Safeguarding Adult Practitioner

at  University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

We are pleased to inform you that we are recruiting for a dynamic, self- motivating Band 7 MCA & Safeguarding Practitioner to join our Safeguarding Adults team, to lead and support the MCA agenda at UCLH. The role would assist in the pending implementation of the new Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS), which is due to replace Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). The Mental Capacity (Amendment) Act 2019 stipulates that UCLH, as an NHS provider has new statutory responsibilities to develop systems, processes and policies and procedures to fulfil its legal duties for the LPS. The government has in 2023, paused the implementation of the Act within the lifetime of this parliament.
One of the key aspects of this new role will be to play a high profile presence within the UCLH and act as a subject expert in the field of the Mental Capacity Act & the Liberty Protection Safeguards. The role would work closely with the Head of Safeguarding & the MCA to set the strategic direction by developing new systems, processes and frameworks to ensure the statutory responsibilities are adhered to. An important part of the role will be to provide expert advice for staff to ensure the Mental Capacity Act and DoLS (eventually LPS) are effectively followed for service users who may lack capacity to consent to confinement or arrangements which deprive them of their liberty at the hospital.
In the interim period prior to implementation, the role would be supporting the safeguarding team & staff during the transition, to manage and strengthen the MCA & DoLS agenda for UCLH
The post holder will influence and lead the ongoing professional development of clinical practice within the MCA agenda, undertake evidence-based research and contribute to the setting of clinical standards of care & safety within the service, including the development of policies, protocols, guidelines and service developments in collaboration with multi- disciplinary colleagues.
This new role will work with stakeholders, multi-disciplinary & multi agency teams to ensure that people with who lack capacity to consent to the deprivation of their liberty have full and appropriate access to healthcare and legal advocacy within the hospital setting and discharge pathways. She/he will liaise with all relevant parties to obtain information and plan effectively for the authorisation of the LPS. The role will be responsible for the monitoring, management & submission process for authorisation by named senior hospital teams.
The post holder will be committed to providing training to staff across multi-disciplinary areas and across the multiple sites that Trust has, to enhance the patient experience and improve patient outcomes.
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH) is one of the most complex NHS trusts in the UK, serving a large and diverse population. We provide academically led acute and specialist services, to people from the local area, from throughout the United Kingdom and overseas. Our vision is to deliver top-quality patient care, excellent education, and world-class research.
We provide first-class acute and specialist services across eight sites:
University College Hospital (incorporating the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Wing)
National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery
Royal National ENT and Eastman Dental Hospitals
University College Hospital Grafton Way Building
Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine
University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre
The Hospital for Tropical Diseases
University College Hospital at Westmoreland Street
We are dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of many complex illnesses. UCLH specialises in women’s health and the treatment of cancer, infection, neurological, gastrointestinal and oral disease. It has world class support services including critical care, imaging, nuclear medicine and pathology.
At UCLH, we have a real ‘One Team’ ethos, and our values – safety, kindness, teamwork and improving, are central to the way we work. This is supported by our staff, who voted us as the #1 NHS Acute Trust to work for in the whole of England.
For the full Person Specification and more information regarding the main responsibilities of this role, please refer to the attached Job Description.
We are committed to sustainability and have pledged to become a carbon net zero health service, embedding sustainable practice throughout UCLH. We have set an ambitious target of net zero for our direct emissions by 2031 and indirect emissions by 2040

Please refer the Job description for details