An overview of the changes that the Mental Capacity (Amendment) Act 2019 will introduce. When it comes into force the Act will sweep away the DoLS regime and replace it with the Liberty Protection Safeguards.

An update on the Mental Capacity (Amendment) Bill.

Building on the work carried out in individual authorities, the Local Government Association (LGA) and the Association of Directors of Social Services (ADASS) have produced a range of resources that can assist local areas in their implementation of the Act, including the new Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS) which will be replacing Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).

Hope Davis-McCallion explains the Law Commission’s ’urgent’ safeguard suggestions. In March 2017, the Law Commission delivered its final recommendations on reforming the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards system. This came after the Commission concluded that the current system was “in crisis” and needed to be replaced “as a matter of pressing urgency”. The name being suggested for the reformed system is “Liberty Protection Safeguards”.

Information about the LPS system, which will be replacing the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). DoLS is the system used to authorise the care or treatment arrangements of an individual who lacks mental capacity to consent to their arrangements. These safeguards apply when a person is ‘deprived of their liberty’ in a care home or hospital, in England or Wales. This guidance covers: making a referral; representation and support; assessments and authorisation; and reviews.
[Updated 11 June 2021]

The Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS) will provide protection for people aged 16 and above who are or who need to be deprived of their liberty in order to enable their care or treatment and lack the mental capacity to consent to their arrangements. People who might have a LPS authorisation include those with dementia, autism and learning disabilities who lack the relevant capacity. A LPS authorisation can have effect immediately, or at any time within 28 days of the authorisation being issued. A person’s first authorisation and renewal can be up to 12 months. Renewals can last for up to 36 months.
[Updated 11 June 2021]

The Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS) will provide protection for people aged 16 and above who are, or who need to be, deprived of their liberty in order to enable their care or treatment and who lack the mental capacity to consent to their arrangements. People who might have an LPS authorisation include those with dementia, autism and learning disabilities who lack the relevant capacity. Once the LPS process has been triggered, the Responsible Body should determine whether the 3 authorisation conditions are met. These are: the person lacks the relevant capacity to consent to the arrangements; the person has a mental disorder, as defined by the Mental Health Act 1983; the arrangements are necessary and proportionate, that is, the arrangements are necessary to prevent harm to the person and proportionate to the likelihood and seriousness of the risk of harm to the person. To determine whether the authorisation conditions are met, there are three assessments and determinations which must be carried out: the capacity assessment and determination; the medical assessment and determination; the necessary and proportionate assessment and determination.
[Updated 11 June 2021]

The Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS) will provide protection for people aged 16 and above who are, or who need to be, deprived of their liberty in order to enable their care or treatment and who lack the mental capacity to consent to their arrangements. People who might have an LPS authorisation include those with dementia, autism and learning disabilities who lack the relevant capacity. Under LPS, the Responsible Body will authorise arrangements that amount to a deprivation of liberty to enable care or treatment. This guidance explains which organisations are Responsible Bodies, which will vary according to where the arrangements are mainly carried out.
[Last updated 11 June 2021]

The Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS) will provide protection for people aged 16 and above who are, or who need to be, deprived of their liberty to enable their care or treatment and who lack the mental capacity to consent to their arrangements. People who might have an LPS authorisation include those with dementia, autism and learning disabilities who lack the relevant capacity. The approved mental capacity professional (AMCP) is a new, specialist role providing enhanced oversight for those people who need it most. AMCPs will be independent, trained, registered professionals.
[Updated 11 June 2021]

This guidance provides information about national plans for workforce training and readiness work to support implementation of Liberty Protection Safeguards in England. The Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS) will provide protection for people aged 16 and above who are, or who need to be, deprived of their liberty in order to enable their care or treatment and lack the mental capacity to consent to their arrangements. People who might have a LPS authorisation include those with dementia, autism and learning disabilities who lack the relevant capacity. LPS will replace an existing system (the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DOLs)) and extend protections to more settings and people, including young people aged 16 and 17. The government has established two English implementation support programmes as follows: Local Government Implementation Support Programme; and Social Care Providers Implementation Support Programme. The government is working with the NHS in England, including Health Education England, on plans for a third implementation support programme for health.

This is the fourth annual report of the National Mental Capacity Forum. Against the backdrop of the Covid-19 crisis, the report spans three main aspects of the Forum’s work: evaluation of the efficacy of the Forum over its first four years in changing awareness of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) and its implementation; the legislative changes that resulted in the Mental Capacity (Amendment) Act 2019 to move from Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) to Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS); and actions taken from the outset of the pandemic to meet the needs of those who are protected by the MCA and support those providing care and having responsibility for the wellbeing of people with impairments of mental capacity.

Assessment of the amendment, which introduced the liberty protection safeguards to replace the deprivation of liberty safeguards. the liberty protection safeguards (LPS) were introduced in the Mental Capacity (Amendment) Act 2019. LPS will provide the framework to determine whether a deprivation of liberty is necessary and proportionate for the care or treatment of an individual who lacks the mental capacity to consent to their arrangements, in England and Wales. They will replace the deprivation of liberty safeguards (DoLS) system, which was found to be “bureaucratic” and “too complex” by a House of Lords Committee in 2014. This impact assessment is an updated assessment of the Mental Capacity (Amendment) Act 2019. It provides an assessment of DoLS at present and fully funded, as well as for LPS as set out in the act.