What is a Mental Capacity Assessment?

What is a Mental Capacity Assessment? 
To answer that question, we must first look at what the Mental Capacity Act is;

What is the Mental Capacity Act?

The Mental Capacity Act, also known as an MCA, is a Code of practice that provides guidance for decisions made under the Mental Capacity Act 2005. It is a legal act that empowers and protects anybody that may lack capacity to make decisions about their own daily living, care and treatment. The act applies to anyone over the age of 16.

The Mental Capacity Act includes decisions regarding the persons daily living such as shopping, care and finances as well as decisions that are life altering such as surge, ry, marriage or living arrangements.

People who suffer with dementia, a severe learning disability, a mental health illness or have a brain injury may lack capacity but having one of the fore mentioned conditions does not automatically mean the person affected does lack capacity.

Capacity is broken down into individual assessments, a person may lack the capacity to make decisions on their finances but may still have the capacity to make decisions about their care.

The Mental Capacity Act 2005 states:

• Unless proven otherwise, an assessor must assume that the person has the capacity to make a decision themselves.
• Help people to make their own decisions wherever possible.
• An unwise decision does not mean that the person is lacking in capacity.
• Making a decision for someone who does not have capacity, must be done so in their best interests.
• Care and treatment provided to someone who lacks capacity should be the least restrictive of their basic rights and freedoms

The Mental Capacity Act allows the person involved to voice their opinion for care and treatment, and to appoint a trusted person to make a decision on their behalf should they lack capacity in the future. This can be a family member, friend or a professional deputy. As well as this an independent advocate should be provided to support and offer guidance on decisions.

Circle Case Management’s Mental Capacity Assessment team is led by Dr. Abi Cheeseman, critically acclaimed Clinical Psychologist.

The Mental Capacity Assessment team includes 2 Clinical Psychologists, a Speech and Language Therapist ; SALT Therapist, a Mental Health Nurse ; RGM and Specialist Occupational Therapist ; O.T.

With a range of different specialities, the Mental Capacity Assessment team can conduct a variety of capacity assessments as well as completing COP3 documentation, retrospective assessments and lasting power of attorney.   

The team are available for instruction throughout the U.K.