Safeguarding and Lead Mental Health Act Specialist

at  The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Kings Lynn NHS Foundation Trust

Are you…

• a Nursing or Health / Social Care graduate, currently registered with an appropriate Health & Social Care Regulatory Body?
• experienced in Safeguarding children and vulnerable adults and applying MCA and DOLS, and implementing Best Interest Meetings
• It would be desirable to be a Best Interest Assessor
• currently working at senior manager level in the NHS or other Public Sector organisation?
• able to convey complex information in a variety of appropriate methods, ranging from Senior Managers to patients who lack capacity?
• able and prepared to be based at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital site in King’s Lynn for 5 days a week?
• r eady to move into a senior role supporting professional safeguarding for adults and children in an NHS hospital, and deputising for the Lead Safeguarding Professional when required?

In this role you will assist with strategically leading on the development and implementation of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH), NHS Trust statutory duties and requirements to safeguard/protect adults, children and lead on the Mental Capacity Act (MCA). The post holder will work across the Trust and with partner agencies to ensure that the principles, function and application of Safeguarding, MCA is embedded within all appropriate policies and services in accordance with legislative changes.
One of the key responsibilities of the role is to lead on all matters relating to the Mental Capacity Act (2005) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (2007). The MCA/DoLS Lead will work with the Lead Professional for Safeguarding to ensure Trust-wide understanding and compliance with the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).
Should the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards be replaced with an alternative legal framework (for example the Liberty Protection Safeguards - LPS) that places statutory responsibility onto the Trust and requires provision of a new statutory role to replace the BIA role (for example Approved Mental Capacity Professional), it is expected that the Lead for MCA/DoLS will lead on, develop, and drive forward the implementation of the LPS in partnership with multiagency partners.
There’s never been a more exciting time to join TeamQEH. We’re working on a once in a generation opportunity to build a new state-of-the-art hospital to open in 2030 and we are also carrying out on one of the biggest pieces of digital transformation work we’ve ever undertaken.
Our new electronic patient record (EPR) will replace paper-based patient records from 2026 and will lead to better, safer, joined-up care at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital and beyond.
At The QEH we provide a comprehensive range of specialist, acute, obstetrics and community-based services to around 331,000 people across west and north Norfolk, North Cambs and South Lincs.
We are an ambitious organisation that upholds our values of kindness, wellness and fairness. We strive for continuous quality improvement, recently demonstrated in our 2024 CQC maternity inspection rating our services as ‘Good’, and we are proud to be a place to learn and grow through recognised learning and apprenticeships.
We recognise and reward our 4,000 staff and volunteers, priding ourselves on a community atmosphere and positive team spirit. We have approx. 530 beds across 33 wards and have newly built education and training facilities, a range of modern award-winning centres alongside a talented team of people ready to give you a warm welcome. We love working here and think you will too.
Full information on the duties and responsibilities of this role are in the attached Job Description.
If you are interested in this role and can demonstrate that you meet all the criteria above, and those in the attached Person Specification, then you should apply for this role without delay

Please refer the Job description for details