A professionally qualified/accredited employee of a local authority involved in the provision of adult social care, including (but not limited to) needs assessment, financial assessment, care and support planning, commissioning, needs review, financial review, and adult safeguarding. These individuals will include social workers, occupational therapists, and other professionals including finance staff. Some local authorities are care providers in their own right, providing domiciliary or residential care. Staff in these functions would be considered to be fulfilling a care provider role, not a local authority professional role.