Rebecca – Managing Director

Rebecca’s experience spans across adult social care, with significant experience as both a front-line Social Worker and a Social Work Manager within many different Local Authority Social Work teams, having qualified as a Social Worker in 2010. Rebecca is trained and competent at chairing high risk Best Interest and Safeguarding Planning meetings and assessing highly complex presentations of mental capacity such as issues of executive capacity. One of Rebecca’s passions is capturing a client’s wishes and feelings in situations where communication impairments are present, or in cases whereby there are complex family dynamics or safeguarding issues at play. Rebecca prides herself on putting her clients as ease during the assessment process, and often receives feedback on how clients ‘enjoyed chatting’ during their mental capacity assessment. Rebecca is a true Social Work ‘geek’ and loves reading and reflecting upon legal updates, research papers, and emerging policy to ensure Thornton & Lee are always at the forefront of Independent Social Work. Rebecca lives with her two daughters, and their French Bulldog Biscuit.

Faye – Managing Director

Bi-lingual, Faye is fluent in Norwegian in addition to being an extensively experienced and highly professional Social Worker. Coming from a family line of Lawyers and Social Workers, Faye’s legal knowledge as an Independent Social Worker is difficult to rival! Faye’s previous experience includes working across adult social care as a frontline Social Work practitioner and as a Social Work Manager including within learning disability teams, in hospital Social Work teams, and in a domestic abuse agency facilitating group therapy and one to one sessions. Faye is an expert on all matter’s adult safeguarding, also priding herself on supporting lesser experienced Social Workers to develop their skills through a training and coaching model. Faye lives with her two children and enjoys running, and when she is not working hard for Thornton & Lee, she can usually be found with her her naughty Siamese cats Koko and Kochi on her knee.

Jason – Guest Expert Mental Capacity Assessor

Dr Jason Corner is a Registered Mental Health Nurse qualifying with a 1st Class BSc in Mental Health Nursing in 2019. Jason also has a Postgraduate Certificate in Dementia Studies, an MSc in Clinical Research, and a Doctorate in Health Sciences. Jason is the Course Director for the MSc in Mental Health Nursing at a local university. Jason is a specialist in the mental health of older people, in particular those with a diagnosis of dementia. He teaches undergraduates and postgraduates a range of topics relating to mental health, with a particular focus on the assessment and diagnosis of dementia, mental state examination and the assessment and use of the Mental Capacity and Mental Health Acts. Jason is an active researcher, with a special interest in care home research. Jason recently ran from London to Brighton, being a keen ultra-matharon runner, and in his free time can be found paddle boarding the Norfolk Broads with his teenage daughter.

Hayley – Independent Social Worker

Hayley’s diverse range of Social Work experience spans children’s and adult social care, having qualified and been working as a registered Social Worker since 2016. Hayley is a qualified Best Interest Assessor, with experience of assessing Deprivation of Liberty. Hayley is skilled in alternate communication methods, and is passionate about capturing an individual’s views, especially those who are nonverbal. Hayley enjoys supporting inexperienced Social Workers to develop their professional skills and how to utilise theory in practice, and also has experience as a Lead Advanced Social Work Educator in a Local Authority Social Work Academy. Hayley’s super skill is being able to put at ease even the most anxious or socially impaired clients with her warm and open approach. Hayley has too young beautiful daughters who keeps her on her toes when not working hard for Thornton and Lee, and a very naughty but lovable sausage dog Toby.

Jo – Independent Social Worker

Jo has been working as a registered Social Worker since 2014. Jo’s experience includes working with individuals with a Learning Disability and Mental Health, as a specialist Social Worker, and leading a Deprivation of Liberty and Mental Capacity Act team as a manager. Jo’s skills include complex and challenging mental capacity assessments for the Court of Protection. Jo’s contribution to a high-profile case heard at the Court of Protection saw her win an award for implementing the Mental Capacity Act and Safeguarding. Jo is passionate about ensuring the best outcomes for all, priding herself on capturing an individual’s voice. Jo has a creative approach to mental capacity assessments and is skilled in utilising pictures, objects of reference, and Makaton. Jo is bursting with personable Yorkshire charm and is a proud football Mum.

Keith – Company Secretary

Keith’s background is as a senior Bank Manager, where his specialities included intensive problem solving and resurrection of failing branches using a range of corporate strategies to implement new processes and resolve HR difficulties. Keith has also acted as a trustee for many years for large car sales business. In addition to bookkeeping, Keith works closely with Rebecca and Faye on how to make their creative ideas for Thornton & Lee into a reality. Keith lives with his wife, and dogs Lulu and Harry now that his children have grown up. Keith loves travelling to new counties, birdwatching, and nature.

Becki – Business Support

Our warm, friendly and efficient business support Becki may well be your first contact with Thornton & Lee. Becki takes responsibility for collating information onto our systems ahead of the assessment appointment, to ensure the assessor has a wonderful overview of not just the individual’s needs, but also what is important to them such as hobbies, interests, and social history which is extremely useful to aid putting the individual being assessed at ease. Becki lives in Yorkshire with her family, and in addition to working for Thornton & Lee Becki is also currently studying to be a Social Worker, having spent much of her career thus far working with adults and children within the health and social care sector. In her spare time Becki can usually be found at her local CrossFit gym, or relaxing at home with her bunny Benjamin.

Leanda – Business Support

Leanda has always worked in Customer service varying from retail, local government and nhs to reception at her tennis club. She loves people and a good chat, with a positive outlook puts everyone at ease. Leanda has recently moved to the coast near Dover and is loving relaxing beach walks and lunches with her husband and Cockerpoo Bill.  In between speaking to Thornton & Lee’s lovely clients, she enjoys reading (belonging to the village book club), running and has signed up for the Brighton Marathon next year.

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Tell us more about your role and who you work with in the course of your work at Thornton & Lee?

I’m Dr Jason Corner, but please do call me Jason. I’ve been working as a Mental Capacity Assessor with Thornton & Lee since October 2023. I live in Norfolk but I enjoy travelling to meet new people in the course of my work and so I offer face to face appointments for Mental Capacity assessments across the South East of England, and I’m equally happy to meet you to complete the Mental Capacity assessment together virtually over video assessment too. In my role I enjoy working with a broad range of adults with varying needs and from diverse backgrounds, I really enjoy learning about the person I am assessing, their experiences, and what is important to them.

What are your professional qualifications?

I am a Registered Mental Health Nurse qualifying with a 1st Class BSc in Mental Health Nursing in 2010. I also have a Postgraduate Certificate in Leadership in Dementia Studies, an MSc in Clinical Research, and a Doctorate in Health Sciences. I am also a Senior Fellow of higher education, and currently the Course Director for an MSc in Mental Health Nursing at a local university. I am a specialist in the mental health of older people, particularly those with a diagnosis of dementia. I teach undergraduate and postgraduate students a range of topics relating to mental health, with a particular focus on the assessment and diagnosis of dementia, differential diagnosis of cognitive impairment, mental state examination and the assessment and use of the Mental Capacity and Mental Health Acts.

Tell us about your journey to be a Mental Capacity Assessor at Thornton & Lee?

I have always worked with people who have cognitive challenges, for a variety of reasons. I find it fascinating finding out about the person I’m meeting to complete the assessment. I always find the best assessment reports are those where I’ve really had the opportunity to discuss their history, and what is important them so that the assessment is rich and well informed. It was from my clinical role as a Nurse working in memory services that eventually led me down a more academic pathway undertaking scientific research of those experiencing dementia and working as a University Lecturer teaching the Mental Health Nurses of the future. Since working as a Mental Capacity Assessor at Thornton & Lee I’ve really relished bringing back something more person-focused into my working life. I find it extremely inspiring having an opportunity as a Mental Capacity Assessor to apply my academic knowledge and skills in real life when I meet clients during the appointment, whilst I continue to ensure I can put any worries they might have at ease as we get to know each other during the appointment.

What is your favourite part of working for Thornton & Lee?

My favourite part of working for Thornton & Lee as a Mental Capacity Assessor is arriving at the appointment to meet the client for the first time and being able to make them feel relaxed and at ease, despite the sensitive nature of the discussion that we might be undertaking together. I do this by ensuring at all times that they feel respected, and that I am both listening and respecting their independence, views and wishes, whilst I guide them through the appointment process.

Tell us something interesting about Mental Capacity assessments?

Whilst I will undertake the assessment using a ‘conversational approach’ which in essence is two people chatting through the questions together, Mental Capacity assessments are actually underpinned by quite a rigorous and structured process, which ensures that the rights of the person being assessed are protected. I really like that for a good Mental Capacity assessment how imperative it is to really understand the person I am speaking to. I love being able to weave their own story into the assessment process.

Do you have any tips for those booked to have a Mental Capacity assessment with you?

Be yourself, and I will help put you at ease to relax if you have been worrying about the assessment. I like to spend time listening to you and any specific needs you might have and will always begin our appointment by learning about you and what is important to you, it is really helpful for the assessment, but I also just love, and find it thought provoking, when hearing about people’s lives and experiences.

If you are interested in booking in a Mental Capacity assessment with Jason fill out our contact form here for a free no obligation quote.

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