The Best Interests Assessor (BIA) is the person authorised and trained to complete a Best Interests Assessment under the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). The role of the Best Interest Assessor is to decide whether the Deprivation of Liberty is occurring, is likely to occur and, if so whether it is in the Best Interests of the person. In making their assessment the BIA will consider all alternative least restrictive options to the DoLS. The BIA is normally also responsible for the co-ordination of the Local Authorities response to the DoLS referral.
BIA’s often work within the Local Authority but should not be based within a team that has funding responsibility for the services where the best interest assessment is to take place. Likewise, BIA’s who have an additional role in a social work team must not complete Best Interest Assessments for individuals they have a responsibility to assess or review. This is because the BIA may have to make recommendations about the service which could be contradictory and in conflict with the priorities of the social work team commissioning it.