Specialist Advisor - Local Authority Assessments

The role

The role of a Specialist Advisor is critical to ensuring the credibility of the Local Authority Assessment Team by providing an expert peer perspective that informs assessment findings and judgements.

Specialist Advisors are typically employed within Local Authorities in senior leadership roles, the LGA or ADASS and have a recognised reputation for delivering effective leadership within adult social care. The role requires proactive participation throughout the assessment process and a commitment to supporting fair, evidence-based judgements.

Accountabilities:

• Proactively participate with CQC representatives on assessment activity of assigned Local Authorities, provide relevant advice and input regarding professional practice and impact to support appropriate judgements.
• Undertake preparation for assigned Local Authority Assessments, likely to include identifying and reviewing key documents to support planning, assessment activity and analysis of the local authority.
• Contribute views on the proposed interviews to help determine where your specialist expertise will be most useful.
• Use specialist knowledge and experience to inform areas for exploration during interviews based on available information.
• Lead interviews to gather evidence of local authority delivery of Care Act duties, to assess against the 9 Quality Statements.
• Contribute views and observations based on experience and good practice to corroboration discussions and provide a written summary of key points following the assessment.
• Provide challenge to any perceived bias within the assessment team to ensure fair identification and triangulation of information.
• Contribute to and endorse key messages provided as feedback to the Local Authority.
• Participate in quality assurance processes and provide clear, practical written feedback.
• Maintain the confidentiality of information accessed during work undertaken for CQC.
• Ensure all work carried out is within the required scope and that relevant CQC policies and guidance are adhered to.

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Expected time commitment for formal assessments...

• Approximate commitment: 5 days per assessment
• Must be able to commit to at least 2 full assessments within a 12-month period.
• Preparation and planning calls prior to assessment activity.
• Fieldwork activity, including a minimum of 2 days on site per assessment.
• Ad hoc advice and input relating to documentation and interviews as required.
• Input into quality assurance activities, typically 6 to 8 hours per assessment.

Eligibility to work

If you are successful at interview, CQC will need to verify your right to work in the UK using digital identity verification. Details of how to complete the right to work check will be provided as part of the conditional offer of employment. If we are unable to verify your right to work digitally, we are required to complete this face to face at one of our CQC Offices. Please be aware that we are unable to progress any offer of employment until right to work in the UK is confirmed.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.