What is a DBS in Health and Social Care?

A DBS, or Disclosure and Barring Service check, acts as a safety measure within health and social care. This check helps to protect people who may be vulnerable, making workplaces safer for individuals who might not be able to protect themselves. Whether caring for older adults, children, or those living with disabilities, the need for trust and safety is clear. The DBS system allows employers to check an individual’s criminal record and ensure only safe, suitable people are placed in sensitive roles.

What Does DBS Stand For?

DBS stands for Disclosure and Barring Service. This government body replaced the former Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) in 2012. The DBS now provides criminal record checks for employers in England and Wales; Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own arrangements. See the DBS guidance for employers.

The main aim of the DBS is to help make sure that unsuitable people do not work with those who need extra care and support.

What is the Purpose of a DBS Check?

Many people working or volunteering in health and social care will need some level of DBS check. Whether a role needs a DBS check, and which level, depends on the duties of the role; see the DBS guidance for employers. The main purposes are:

• Safeguarding children and adults at risk
• Fulfilling legal obligations for care providers
• Reducing the risk of abuse or exploitation

It’s important that organisations know about any past behaviours that might put service users at risk.

Different Types of DBS Checks

There are four levels of DBS checks: basic, standard, enhanced, and enhanced with barred list check. The difference between them lies in how much information is revealed. The DBS guidance for employers explains each level.

Basic DBS Check

This is the simplest form of DBS check. It shows convictions and cautions that are unspent; see the DBS guidance for employers. Anyone can request this check for themselves.

Standard DBS Check

A standard DBS shows spent and unspent convictions and adult cautions held on the Police National Computer, except those removed under the filtering rules. See the DBS guidance for employers for the current rules. Health and social care staff rarely require only a standard check, as most roles involve working with vulnerable people.

Enhanced DBS Check

An enhanced DBS check gives all criminal record information from a standard check, and includes information held by local police if considered relevant to the role. Health and social care workers in regulated activity with vulnerable groups are eligible for the enhanced check with barred list check described below. See regulated activity with adults in England and Wales.

Enhanced DBS with Barred List Check

This version includes a search of the children’s and/or adults’ barred lists. If someone appears on either of these lists, it means they have been banned from working with that group. This extra layer of checking protects people who are relying on others for support.

Who Needs a DBS Check in Health and Social Care?

Not everyone within a health or social care setting requires the highest level check. The level needed depends on the nature of the job and who you will be working with. Some roles that commonly need a DBS are:

• Nurses, doctors, and healthcare assistants
• Social workers and care coordinators
• Residential care home staff
• Domiciliary carers (providing care in people’s homes)
• Support workers for people with learning disabilities
• Volunteers working directly with children or adults at risk

The level of check an employer can ask for depends on whether the role is eligible, so use the DBS guidance for employers to check rather than assuming.

What Is ‘Regulated Activity’?

The term ‘regulated activity’ refers to specific types of work with children or adults that require an enhanced DBS with barred list check. These activities include:

• Personal care (washing, dressing, feeding)
• Providing healthcare by or under the supervision of a professional
• Day-to-day management or supervision of someone involved in regulated activity

A DBS certificate shows the information held about a person, and employers decide how to use it fairly in their recruitment. A person who is barred must not do regulated activity; see the DBS guidance on regulated activity with adults in England and Wales.

The Process of Getting a DBS Check

Anyone who needs a DBS check will typically apply through their employer, volunteer organisation, or recruitment agency.

Steps Involved

• The employer asks the candidate to fill out a DBS application form and provide proof of identity.
• The application is sent to the DBS, which collects information from police records and barred lists.
• The DBS compiles the information and sends a certificate directly to the applicant.
• The applicant shares the certificate with their employer or organisation.

Most employers will help with paperwork and explain each step.

What Shows Up On a DBS Check?

A DBS certificate may show:

• Unspent convictions
• Spent convictions (depending on check type)
• Cautions, warnings, and reprimands
• Relevant police information
• Whether the person is barred from working with children or adults

Not all convictions stay on your record forever. Some convictions become ‘spent’ after a period, meaning they no longer appear on basic checks. Some serious offences will always show.

How Long Does a DBS Take?

Processing times vary from one application to the next; see the DBS guidance for employers for the DBS’s current performance information. Delays can occur if police stations need to search archived information or if the form has mistakes. Whether someone can start work before a check is complete depends on the role, your organisation’s recruitment policy and the rules for your sector. For CQC-registered providers in England, see the CQC guidance on Regulation 19.

How Long Does a DBS Last?

A DBS check has no official expiry date. The certificate only shows information correct at the date of issue, so employers may ask for a new one if some time has passed, or if someone changes role. Some sectors require checks to be repeated periodically, and employers set their own renewal times; see the DBS guidance for employers.

The Update Service

The DBS Update Service is a subscription-based online tool. For an annual fee, this service lets people keep their DBS certificate up to date and share it online with new employers. If someone changes roles often, this can save time.

DBS certificates are not automatically updated; they only show police information processed up to the date the check was done. With the person’s permission, an employer can do a free online status check to see whether anything has changed on a standard or enhanced certificate. See the DBS Update Service.

DBS and the Barred Lists

A barred list is a record of people the DBS has decided are not safe to work with certain groups. There are two lists:

• Children’s Barred List (for those who have been banned from working with children)
• Adults’ Barred List (for those barred from work with adults at risk)

It is an offence for a barred person to seek or do regulated activity from which they are barred, and an offence to allow it if you know, or have reason to believe, the person is barred. See section 7 and section 9 of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 (England and Wales). Regulated activity providers have a legal duty to refer certain concerns about a person to the DBS, in specific circumstances. See making barring referrals to the DBS. The DBS then investigates and may add them to a barred list.

What Is Portable Information?

‘Portability’ means using a DBS certificate for more than one employer without repeating the check every time someone finds a new job. With traditional paper certificates, this is not possible. With the DBS Update Service, employers can access a current online record. But if the role differs in terms of responsibilities or type of individuals cared for, a new check may still be needed.

DBS Checks and Overseas Applicants

The DBS cannot access criminal records held overseas, so a check may not give a complete picture for someone who has lived abroad (see the DBS guidance for employers). Employers may also need police checks from other countries to check overseas criminal history.

Common Terms Explained

• Spent Conviction: A criminal conviction that no longer needs to be disclosed for most jobs after a set period.
• Unspent Conviction: A conviction still within its disclosure period and must be listed on all checks.
• Caution: A formal warning given by police for less serious offences.
• Safeguarding: Protecting people’s health, wellbeing, and human rights.

Safeguarding in Health and Social Care

In care settings, people may be more vulnerable to harm or abuse because of illness, age, or disability. Employers must show they take all reasonable steps to protect their clients and staff. DBS checks are just one part of a larger safeguarding toolkit, including:

• Reference checks
• Supervision and training
• Reporting mechanisms for concerns
• Clear policies and procedures

When a DBS Shows a Criminal Record

Having a conviction does not automatically mean someone cannot work in health and social care. Employers have to decide if any risks can be safely managed. They should look at:

• The type of offence
• How long ago it happened
• Whether the role involves supervised or unsupervised access
• Any changes in circumstances

Some offences, especially those involving neglect, violence, or abuse, may prevent someone ever working with vulnerable people again.

Confidentiality and Fairness

Personal data revealed through a DBS check carries strict privacy rules. Only those directly involved in hiring and safeguarding decisions should see this information. Employers must use the information on a DBS certificate fairly and follow the DBS code of practice, which is designed to protect applicants from unfair discrimination based on non-relevant past convictions. See the DBS guidance for employers.

Legal Obligations for Employers

Providers registered with the CQC in England must make sure the staff they employ are fit and proper, which includes robust recruitment procedures and the relevant checks (CQC Regulation 19). It is also an offence to knowingly allow a barred person to do regulated activity (section 9 of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006).

Employers must:

• Verify the identity of the person applying
• Decide which level of check is required
• Respect confidentiality of the information

Responsibilities for Individuals

If you work in health or social care, you are responsible for being honest about your history when applying. Keeping your certificate secure, using the Update Service if possible, and following all safeguarding rules are all part of the professional standards

DBS Do’s and Don’ts

• Use the correct level of check for the role
• Keep information private and secure
• Act on concerning information and follow safeguarding policy
• Never allow anyone barred to work in regulated activity
• Use DBS information fairly and in line with the code of practice

Final Thoughts

The DBS check acts as an important safety net in health and social care. It allows those who need care and support to have confidence in the people looking after them. By following the rules, everyone has a safer and more trustworthy environment to work and live in.