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Best Interest Assessor

2024-25 (also available for 2023-24, 2025-26)

Start date

6 January 2025

Duration

9 weeks, part-time, comprising of 4 weeks teaching

Credits: 15 Masters level credits

Code: HMS1060

Places available (subject to change)

65

About the course

Please note that the government has delayed the implementation of the new Liberty Protection Safeguards. We are closely following any revisions that may be forthcoming in this area and the Best Interests module will be revised and updated to meet the new Liberty Protection Safeguards scheme should this be implemented. This course and entry requirements are therefore subject to change once the new Code of Practice and statutory regulations supporting the implementation of the Liberty Protection Safeguards are published.

This course provides the opportunity for health and social care professionals to become Best Interests Assessors (BIA) under the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (Mental Capacity Act 2005). It will assist you in developing the skills and knowledge required, as defined by the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards regulations, to competently perform the role of a BIA.

  • Teaching is built around the needs of experienced busy professionals who have chosen to study this course as part of their continuing professional development and career progression.
  • You will learn alongside a range of other professionals from a variety of disciplines allowing you to share valuable knowledge and experience.
  • The law and policy requirements for the BIA role under the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (Mental Capacity Act 2005) will also be explored.
  • You will examine and analyse developments in case law and how this influences Best Interests Assessor practice
  • The course focuses on the core skills and knowledge required to meet the supervisory body’s regulations and you will be encouraged to critically evaluate this knowledge.

The course aims to provide you with the skills required to assess the capacity of people with a learning disability and those in later life. As well as an understanding of the assessment processes involved in being a BIA. This will include the ability to identify whether an individual is being deprived of their liberty as defined by the European Court of Human Rights.

Teaching and assessment

You will be taught through a series of lectures and independent guided study, which will be supported by the University’s virtual learning environment.

Assessment will include a Best Interest Assessor assessment and a critical analysis. Your module specification/course handbook will provide full details of the assessment criteria applying to your course.

Feedback (usually written) is normally provided on all coursework submissions within three term time weeks – unless the submission was made towards the end of the session in which case feedback would be available on request after the formal publication of results. Feedback on exam performance/final coursework is available on request after the publication of results.

The University of Huddersfield operates an attendance monitoring system. Further details can be found in the Attendance Monitoring Policy.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for this course are normally to:

  • Possess a degree or an equivalent qualification. If you do not possess a degree but have relevant experience, you may be required to undertake preparatory work to demonstrate your ability to study at postgraduate level.
  • Be a Health or Social Care Practitioner.
  • Have at least two years' post-registration experience.
  • Have relevant experience within a Health or Social Care setting.
  • Meet the professional criteria as set out in the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.
  • Have successfully completed the Mental Capacity and Mental Disorder course, unless you have an Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) qualification.

Student support

At the University of Huddersfield, you'll find support networks and services to help you get ahead in your studies and social life. Whether you study at undergraduate or postgraduate level, you'll soon discover that you're never far away from our dedicated staff and resources to help you to navigate through your personal student journey. Find out more about all our support services.

A wide range of resources are also offered within the School of Human and Health Sciences, which provides you with support in a variety of areas. These include:

Student Hub: a one stop shop for students, studying within the School. Their services include offering advice on extenuating circumstances, extension requests, attendance and welfare support, organising appointments with academic staff, signposting to other support networks and loan of MP3 recorders.

Academic Skills Development Team: provides guidance about how students can develop their academic skills in order to improve their grades. The team provide support with general academic skills including essay writing, time management, presentations and group work skills; information technology and numeracy; research skills, as well as personal development for example confidence building and assertiveness.

Learning Technology Support Unit: helps students with any problems they experience with the University’s Unilearn System, including logging on or difficulties experienced when accessing modules.

Important information

We will always try to deliver your course as described on this web page. However, sometimes we may have to make changes as set out below.

Changes to a course you have applied for

If we propose to make a major change to a course that you are holding an offer for, then we will tell you as soon as possible so that you can decide whether to withdraw your application prior to enrolment.

Cancellation of a course you have applied for

Although we always try and run all of the course we offer, we may occasionally have to withdraw a course you have applied for or combine your programme with another programme if we consider this reasonably necessary to ensure a good student experience, for example if there are not enough applicants to ensure you have a good learning experience. Where this is the case we will notify you as soon as reasonably possible and we will contact you to discuss other suitable courses with us we can transfer your application to. If we notify you that the course you have applied to has been withdrawn or combined, and you do not wish to transfer to another course with us, you may cancel your application and we will refund you any deposits or fees you have paid to us.

Changes to your course after you enrol as a student

We will always try to deliver your course and other services as described. However, sometimes we may have to make changes as set out below:

Changes to option modules

Where your course allows you to choose modules from a range of options, we will review these each year and change them to reflect the expertise of our staff, current trends in research and as a result of student feedback or demand for certain modules. We will always ensure that you have a range of options to choose from and we will let you know in good time the options available for you to choose for the following year.

Major changes

We will only make major changes to the core curriculum of a course or to our services if it is necessary for us to do so and provided such changes are reasonable. A major change in this context is a change that materially changes the services available to you; or the outcomes, or a significant part, of your course, such as the nature of the award or a substantial change to module content, teaching days (part time provision), classes, type of delivery or assessment of the core curriculum.

For example, it may be necessary to make a major change to reflect changes in the law or the requirements of the University’s regulators; to meet the latest requirements of a commissioning or accrediting body; to improve the quality of educational provision; in response to student, examiners’ or other course evaluators’ feedback; and/or to reflect academic or professional changes within subject areas. Major changes may also be necessary because of circumstances outside our reasonable control, such as a key member of staff leaving the University or being unable to teach, where they have a particular specialism that can’t be adequately covered by other members of staff; or due to damage or interruption to buildings, facilities or equipment.

Major changes would usually be made with effect from the next academic year, but this may not always be the case. We will notify you as soon as possible should we need to make a major change and will carry out suitable consultation with affected students. If you reasonably believe that the proposed change will cause you detriment or hardship we will, if appropriate, work with you to try to reduce the adverse effect on you or find an appropriate solution. Where an appropriate solution cannot be found and you contact us in writing before the change takes effect you can cancel your registration and withdraw from the University without liability to the University for future tuition fees. We will provide reasonable support to assist you with transferring to another university if you wish to do so.

Termination of course

In exceptional circumstances, we may, for reasons outside of our control, be forced to discontinue or suspend your course. Where this is the case, a formal exit strategy will be followed and we will notify you as soon as possible about what your options are, which may include transferring to a suitable replacement course for which you are qualified, being provided with individual teaching to complete the award for which you were registered, or claiming an interim award and exiting the University. If you do not wish to take up any of the options that are made available to you, then you can cancel your registration and withdraw from the course without liability to the University for future tuition fees and you will be entitled to a refund of all course fees paid to date. We will provide reasonable support to assist you with transferring to another university if you wish to do so.

When you enrol as a student of the University, your study and time with us will be governed by a framework of regulations, policies and procedures, which form the basis of your agreement with us. These include regulations regarding the assessment of your course, academic integrity, your conduct (including attendance) and disciplinary procedure, fees and finance and compliance with visa requirements (where relevant). It is important that you familiarise yourself with these as you will be asked to agree to abide by them when you join us as a student. You will find a guide to the key terms here, along with the Student Protection Plan, where you will also find links to the full text of each of the regulations, policies and procedures referred to. You should read these carefully before you enrol. Please note that this information is subject to change and you are advised to check our website regularly for any changes before you enrol at the University. A person who is not party to this agreement shall not have any rights under or in connection with it. Only you and the University shall have any right to enforce or rely on the agreement.

The Office for Students (OfS) is the principal regulator for the University.

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