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.

The first annual report by Baroness Finlay, the chair of the National Mental Capacity Forum, which provides details of the forum’s membership and its early work and achievements to implement the Mental Capacity Act. It also highlights some of the challenges raised by people implementing the Mental Capacity Act where further progress is needed. The Chair’s priorities to strengthen the implementation of the Act for the following year cover: hearing the voice of the person, improving practitioners understanding of the Mental Capacity Act, improved support for carers of people with impaired capacity, and to reduce and prevent the exploitation of vulnerable people by financial and other scams.

Annual report of the Chair of the National Mental Capacity Forum, covering the Forum’s work over the year, the Chair’s priorities for the coming year, and details of Forum members. Each chapter describes the achievements and ongoing work against the four priorities for 2017: Improving understanding; Hearing the voice of the person; Supporting carers; and Reducing and preventing exploitation. Achievements include the development of guidelines and training material for front line staff in the financial and banking sector and increased awareness of fraud and scam and the risks for people ‘in vulnerable circumstances.’ The report includes illustrative good practice examples of initiatives relevant to the implementation of the Mental Capacity Act.

This document describes the work that has taken place to raise awareness and understanding of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) across the health and care system in response to the recommendations of the House of Lords Select Committee on the Mental Capacity Act in 2014. Using case studies, the report outlines the progress made in a range of areas, including: national governance, monitoring progress, increasing awareness and implementation, digital resources, professional training, system design and partnership, system regulation, care planning, the Office of the Public Guardian, Independent Mental Capacity Advocates (IMCAs), and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). The report shows that many localities have seized the opportunity to make real strides forward. With the establishment of the new National Mental Capacity Forum, an opportunity now exists to accelerate progress.

This poster outlines progress of an MCA project in Croydon and its positive outcomes, including engaging with GP practices, dentists and optometrists to attend MCA workshops and launching a pilot MCA self-assessment tool and Best Interests form for primary care.

In addition to signposting to MCA and DoLS guidance, this document sets out key steps to ensure the legal and regulatory requirements in relation to consent and capacity are met.