Temporary arrangements are now in place (effective from 30 March 2020) which provide employers with the option of taking on new employees within shorter timeframes than were possible to work in regulated activities with adults and/ or children.
Applications are sped up for nursing and social care staff that are recruited in order to respond to the care or treatment of Covid-19. Fast-track applications should be made via the volunteer route and involve a review of the emergency fast-track barred list. Such applications will be free of charge and DBS aims to be complete those checks within one working day following receipt.
Providers are to ensure that full DBS applications are made alongside the fast track application but they will provide the opportunity to appoint employees in the interim period before the full check has been completed.
If a new employee is already in possession of an enhanced DBS check within the past 3 years or is a member of the Update Service employers are advised to consider using those checks to determine the suitability of the role those persons.
