What makes a good assessment of capacity?

This document sets out to inform and support psychologists to make informed, sound clinical judgements and decisions across a range of sometimes very different situations where a client’s capacity to make their own decisions is being questioned. The document is the culmination of a consensus which has developed since the implementation of the MCA 2005 in England and Wales, itself drawing on Scottish experiences, including clinical practice and experience, research studies and case law. The document’s structure follows the chronological flow of a considered approach to assessment. It starts with an overview of the current legal context, followed by necessary preparatory steps and aspects of completing a best practice assessment (including consideration of the use of psychometric inventories) before drawing together the threads of information collected and forming defensible, balanced, well evidenced opinions, conclusions and recommendations.