This is a two-and-a-half hour course to gain awareness of the Mental Capacity Act (2005) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards at the introductory level. The course will seek to explain the following:
- The five principles of the MCA – how these must be adhered to whenever working with patients.
- Two-stage capacity assessments – the links between subjective assessment and objective measures.
- Best-interests decisions – how these can be arrived at and their value in the context of human rights.
- Restrictions and Restraints – types, recognition of, recording/reporting of , necessity of, timescales of, proportionality of.
- Deprivation of Liberty – the current practices and procedures. Also, changes likely going forward.
- Planning for the future – plans that are available for everyone to ensure future wishes are followed should we lack capacity.
All of these areas will focus specifically upon those in community settings, covering a spectrum of those with care and support needs.