Powys DBS: a seamless and quality service

Ensuring compliance

As a Local Authority we understand that the DBS checking process is intrinsic to improving recruitment, safeguarding service users and enhancing wider service provision. Nevertheless, whilst implementing a fast, results focused system is crucial to exceptional service delivery, Powys County Council also stringently adheres to government, Welsh Assembly and national DBS legislation, frequently ensuring that our system is more rigorous than these guidelines stipulate. As such, we are inherently aware of the potential risks with an online system and have ensured that ‘Employment Check’ is an ISO27001 accredited hosting domain, which allows us to securely manage our DBS checks online in accordance with General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). Furthermore, Powys County Council operates a bilingual system that enables Welsh speakers to access the online DBS application in their preferred language.

Our customers

We believe in creating and developing a strong, mutually beneficial rapport with all of our business partners, allowing for a stronger working relationship that facilitates the growth of each organisation.  Powys County Council undertake DBS checking on behalf of over two hundred other organisations, including several housing associations, care agencies, leisure providers and academy trusts. Furthermore, our service is currently utilised by the following eight local authorities: Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Merthyr Tydfil, Newport City, Pembrokeshire, Powys, Swansea and Neath Port Talbot.

We have received glowing appraisals from our customers. According to Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council, “Powys continuously provide a seamless and quality service to us which has enabled us to improve the service we provide to our customers. DBS checks are now processed with a very quick turn-around time compared to before (a number of days rather than weeks). We have gained many benefits from Powys Council administering our DBS checks; one being that our recruitment process is now much speedier and this helps managers to fill vacancies more quickly. Powys has given us a service which is not only value for money, but has exceeded all our expectations and enabled us to offer a much faster and more efficient service to our customers.  

The team

Our team, which has over nine years of experience, will expertly support service delivery at every level, ensuring that queries regarding issues as varied as eligibility, valid ID and the update service are resolved quickly and correctly. As part of the flexibility of this approach, the DBS team will always be contactable.

Powys County Council’s DBS Unit are part of the wider Heart of Wales Business Solutions (HWBS), which supports the authority’s commerciality endeavours. Services offered include but are not limited to counter fraud, administrative support, income and awards and Welsh Language and translation. Further information on any of the HWBS services can be found at https://customer.powys.gov.uk/hwbs. 

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