The DoLS Team

Cheshire East Council have a DoLs Team. Their remit is to enact the operational functions of the DoLS Supervisory Body for people living in (or about to go into) care homes and hospitals within statutory time frames.

Functions of the Service include:

• Screening and allocating DoLS referrals;
• Assessing people who are or may be deprived of their liberty to ascertain whether they meet the 6 assessment criteria to warrant an authorisation;
• Scrutinise assessments to ensure that they meet appropriate legal standards;
• To complete and authorise authorisation documents which include length of authorisation and any conditions that may be attached;
• To dispatch DoLS assessment and authorisation documents to relevant parties;
• To monitor authorisation periods to ensure that DoLS conditions are met;
• To respond to any request for DoLS reviews should any outcomes of the 6 assessment criteria change;
• To ensure that people who are deprived of their liberty have continuous authorisations that are renewed periodically;
• To educate partner organisations and other professionals on their responsibilities in relation the Mental Capacity Act (including DoLS);
• To monitor DoLS challenges to ensure that they are progressed to the Court of Protection in a timely manner.