The Mental Capacity Act 2005 is a new law to protect
people who do not have the capacity to make their own
decisions.
The Act sets out safeguards to empower and protect a person
assessed as lacking mental capacity. People lacking mental capacity
will include those with:
- dementia
- learning disability
- mental health problems
- brain damage
- a physical injury or illness
The Act covers major decisions about things like finance, social
care, and medical treatment. It introduces a new Court of
Protection, Lasting Power of Attorney; Court appointed
deputies, and the Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA)
Service provided by
Friend in North
Somerset.
Practice guidelines are currently being developed in partnership
with North Somerset NHS Primary Care
Trust(PCT). A Mental Capacity Act Local Implementation Network
has been set up and meets on a monthly basis.
More information is available in the
Department of Health Code of Practice to the
Mental Capacity Act .
For further information please contact our
Mental Capacity
Act Facilitator
