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Mental Capacity Assessment

Two women sat at desk filling out LPS forms

What work is involved in a typical Mental Capacity Assessment?

Mental Capacity Assessments are typically provided by experienced healthcare professionals working independently, or as part of a larger organisation. Unless there is a statutory requirement for the assessment, relating to a specific care or treatment decision, then it is unlikely that an assessment will fall under NHS provision and be free of charge.

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Mental capacity assessment: female professional assessing elderly gentleman

Types of questions to ask in an assessment

In previous blogs we have considered what questions to ask as part of Mental Capacity Assessments. We have also worked through a case study in a two-part blog. In today’s blog, we aim to build upon this knowledge, taking a brief look at the types of questions that can be asked, taking special consideration of just how we frame a question and grade it to the client’s needs.

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Patient consulting with doctor

Who can carry out a Mental Capacity Assessment?

Anyone can conduct a Mental Capacity Assessment. However, context is important, and a professional may be required for complex decisions. This will help ensure assessments are carried out in the correct manner, and that they are valid (i.e. reliable and trustworthy) in order to protect both the assessor, and the person being assessed.

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Supporting capacity with augmentative communication aids

How to carry out Mental Capacity Assessments

Since launching Mental Capacity Ltd at the start of 2022, we have published a new blog every week to raise awareness around the Mental Capacity Act and help professionals build confidence and develop skills in applying the Act in practice. In this blog, we bring together some of our most popular blogs on how to carry out Mental Capacity Assessments (sometimes referred to as Mental Capacity Tests) to help you quickly and easily find the resources you need.

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Future decisions: black and white photo of man looking pensive as he thinks about what to do

Mental Capacity and future decisions

The Mental Capacity Act is designed to empower a person’s voice, protect their rights and provide safeguarding measures, alongside direction of practice, if a person is determined to lack capacity for a particular decision at a certain time. In this blog, we explore the role of the Mental Capacity Act around future decisions relating to healthcare, finance and assigning an LPA.

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Young man in red wheelchair smiling and happy

Preparing questions for a complex Mental Capacity Assessment

In our last blog, we considered the complex case of ‘P’ – an individual being assessed for mental capacity with respect to their change in accommodation, as well as their wish to take responsibility for managing their inheritance.

The case study highlighted several major issues in the way the original mental capacity assessment had been completed, including concerns around the lack of support to help P communicate autonomously, and the lack of documentation around P’s condition and capacity.

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Assessing complex cases: Disabled man using eye tracking software

Mental capacity assessments for complex decisions

In this blog, we will work through an example mental capacity assessment for an individual making a complex decision. This case study is based on a real-life example reviewed in the wake of the Covid pandemic. At each stage we will present the information as it was presented to us, followed by specific comment relating to the assessment process and steps that could and in some cases should have been taken to improve the quality of outcomes.

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