Desk Based Assessments- Fit for Purpose?

Desk Based Assessments – Fit for Purpose?

The current ‘hot topic’ is desk based assessments –prepare this thoroughly or you will end up at a Public Inquiry.

Over 50% of the Public Inquiries we have covered in the last 12 months have arisen from an unsatisfactory Desk Based Assessment.

In at least 20% of those cases, the operator has not adduced sufficient evidence to support their case or they provided the ‘wrong’ material. This can be where they provide evidence of a different period to that requested or they don’t provide any evidence of a procedure described.

There is guidance to the completion of the DBA here but it is not particularly comprehensive. It is often difficult (if not impossible) to obtain guidance from the remote enforcement office who conduct these remote investigations and so you may wish to seek professional help early on.

Our short video on preparing for your desk based assessment will be available on our YouTube Channel in the next few weeks.

Did you know?

All desk based assessments that follow an S marked prohibition result in an unsatisfactory score and a referral to the TC.