Technical description of a Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards indicator, used at St Christopher’s, to monitor staff training levels. It measures the extent to which St Christopher’s staff are fully trained and competent in assessing mental capacity, making best interests decisions and applying the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.

This case study examines what worked well and what did not work well in a best interests decision about a patient with severe physical and learning disabilities needing surgery.

This document (mouse mat) explains the five principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

This is a presentation highlighting the five key principles of the Mental Capacity Act.

A brief presentation outlining the key aspects of the MCA, covering the principles of the Act, DoLS, best interests decisions, and independent mental capacity advocacy.

This toolkit helps to understand if correct processes are correctly being undertaken in relation to the MCA (2005); to ensure the MCA is being completed and fully documented including the consent form, MCA/determination of best interests form; to provide a base line audit to ensure practice is embedded across services; and to provide robust procedural evidence for internal and external assurance. The tool may be adapted to align to local provider policies and procedural documents.

This guidance is intended to provide support in carrying out and recording formal capacity assessments and is not intended as a substitute for the Code of Practice. The documents covers: recording mental capacity assessment activity; principles of the mental capacity act 2005; when to assess capacity and who should carry out the assessment; assessments as part of needs or risk assessments and day to day decisions; capacity to agree to social care decisions; identifying the decision maker; advance statements and preferred place of care statements; capacity assessments; best interests decisions; independent mental capacity advocates; unwise decisions, duty of care, the role of the Court of Protection and inherent jurisdiction; and the role of the Court of Protection.

A mental capacity assessment and best interests determination form. The document includes a summary of key steps in assessing capacity, the principles of assessing capacity, what demonstrates decision-making capacity and considerations for the determination of an individual’s best interests.

Sets out key key principles and considerations for making Best Interests decisions.

A guide for health and social care staff on how, and in which situations, a person can be referred to the Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy service.

A case study focusing on a patient with an acquired brain injury, needing a best interests decision made as to whether she should have a PEG feed inserted. The case shows how the correct application of the principles of the MCA ensured the least restrictive option was explored and the patient was able to make improvements in eating and drinking so the PEG was no longer needed. The case study has been drawn together by the Department of Health, the Care Quality Commission, and POhWER, a major provider of advocacy services, to show how IMCAs can act as a powerful support to people who may lack capacity.

A case study focusing on a patient with cognitive impairment, showing how the intervention by an IMCA ensured she was able to return to live at home with her dog instead of being admitted to a care home that did not allow dogs. The case study has been drawn together by the Department of Health, the Care Quality Commission, and POhWER, a major provider of advocacy services, and shows how IMCAs can act as a powerful support to people who may lack capacity.