This blog contains information on policing, mental health and criminal justice. Key thematic areas include: Tactical Advisors on mental health; quick guides – a series of legal and practical summaries for operational police officers about the most important scenarios that emerge under the mental health and capacity acts; policing and crime act series; paramedic series; and a series of posts written with non-police officers in mind providing guidance to the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.

SCIE guide to support the commissioning of the Independent Mental Capacity Advocate (IMCA) service

SCIE Guide on practice guidance on the involvement of Independent Mental Capacity Advocates (IMCAs) in safeguarding adults

This guide aims to support the work of local authority and NHS staff who may need to instruct and work with IMCAs in relation to accommodation decisions and care reviews.

This factsheet explains what a housing tenancy is, issues of capacity and law surrounding housing tenancy and how it may apply to a person with a learning disability.

This practice guidance describes the role of Independent Mental Capacity Advocates (IMCAs) and paid representatives in the Mental Capacity Act Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (MCA DOLS).

Explores what mental capacity is and when and how capacity should be assessed.

Information about the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DOLS) –
an amendment to the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA).

This resource describes good practice in the management and implementation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS; the Safeguards).

This guidance looks at the practical implications of the Mental Capacity Act for end of life care. It takes into account subsequent developments, including the publication of the Code of Practice and the establishment of the Independent Mental Capacity Advocate (IMCA) service; the new Court of Protection; and the Office of the Public Guardian. It explains the MCA in the context of the current developments in palliative care, and sets out NCPC’s future work plans in relation to the MCA. This guidance is principally written for professionals and organisations in all settings that provide palliative care services, either within specialist services or as part of their day-to-day care. People working in specialist palliative care units, hospices, hospitals, care homes, and primary and community care will all find it relevant. However, it is also intended to help patients, care home residents, people who want to understand how they can influence their future care and informal and family carers.

This protocol has been produced to offer guidance to staff about good practice in case management prior to accessing the Court of Protection in relation to welfare disputes and the procedure to follow when an application may be needed.

This guidance covers the key principle of the Mental Capacity Act, assessing capacity and inability to consent, best interests decision making for patients, independent mental capacity advocacy, and deprivation of liberty safeguards.