DoLS Guidance for Managing Authorities

The purpose of this webpage is to advise care homes as managing authorities on the deprivation of liberty safeguards process.

Advice and information for providers

Managing authorities should apply to the local authority in the usual way if they consider it necessary to deprive a person of their liberty in order to provide the accommodation, care, treatment or support assessed as necessary under the Mental Capacity Act. Some managing authorities may have heard about the liberty protection safeguards (LPS) however the DoLS processes and provisions have not changed because LPS has not been implemented. 

Carmarthenshire County Council (the supervisory body for DoLS), is not able to give legal advice to Managing Authorities or other providers. Neither can we advise, in the absence of a formal request for a DoLS authorisation, whether a person's particular circumstances amount to a deprivation of liberty.

It is important that managing authorities do not make speculative applications for DoLS as a result of this judgement, residents are not subjected to unnecessary or avoidable assessments, which can be unsettling for them and their families.

The Application Process

An application can be applied by the managing authority in two ways:

1.) A new application for a standard and/or urgent authorisation can be applied by submitting a Form 1.

This application can also be submitted prior to the person moving into the care home.

Form 1 - Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards

2.) A further request for a standard authorisation can be submitted via Form 2.

This form would be completed for those authorisations that are due to expire, the supervisory body requests that managing authorities submit a further request at least 8 weeks before the due expiry date.

Form 2 - Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards

Once the application form has been submitted an acknowledgement email will be sent to the sender to confirm the application has been submitted successfully.

The DoLS team will process and screen the application based upon the information provided within the form therefore it is vital that all information is provided to prevent any delay.

Should the person’s circumstances change at any point prior to any assessments taking place the managing authority will need to notify the DoLS team by email at Dols@carmarthenshire.gov.uk

For further advice and support:

Contact Carmarthenshire Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards Team (DoLS) by email:  Dols@carmarthenshire.gov.uk.