Training materials available on the Mental Capacity Act
1 August 2012
The Estia Centre has released a new training pack on the Mental Capacity Act.
The Estia Centre has released a new training pack on the Mental Capacity Act and how it relates to working with people with learning disabilities.
The pack, called ‘The Mental Capacity Act and People with Learning Disabilities’, is designed to help health and social care professionals to understand the Act, how it represents people with learning disabilities, and the roles and responsibilities of those supporting and working with these individuals.
Written by experts in partnership with the Estia Centre, it tackles topics like defining and assessing capacity, making best-interest decisions, and understanding Mental Capacity Act Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards, which aim to protect people in care homes and hospitals from being inappropriately deprived of their liberty.
According to the publishers, it is particularly relevant for:
- Staff and managers in care and support services
- Health professionals and care managers who manage and/or participate in the process
- Independent mental capacity advocates (IMCAs)
- People training to be IMCAs
Upholding the rights of people with learning disabilities
Historically, people with learning disabilities have not always been granted the same rights as other people – many have been given little in the way of choice, and it was often assumed that individuals lack the capacity to make their own decisions.
Over the last 30 years, policy makers have strived to ensure equality. By introducing the Mental Capacity Act, they sought to defend the decision-making rights of vulnerable people and set in place a due legal process for those who have difficulty making particular decisions.
Consisting of a ring binder, CD Rom, PowerPoint slides, handouts and a video, it is hoped that the pack will:
- Empower people with learning disabilities
- Ensure the rights of those who lack capacity are upheld
- Build staff confidence in their skills in using the Act
- Develop practical skills in contributing to and competing capacity assessments relating to a wide range of decisions
- Develop confidence in participating and making best-interest decisions
- Develop the required knowledge to meet inspection requirements
To find out more about ‘The Mental Capacity Act and People with Learning Disabilities’ pack, visit the Pavilion publishing ordering page.
The Estia Centre is a training, research and development resource for those who support adults with learning disabilities and additional mental health needs. It is based on the Guy’s Hospital campus and is linked to the Institute of Psychiatry and King’s College London.
