Mental Health Act

Loneliness and isolation: Elderly woman with head resting on her arms looking out of window.

CQC report on DoLS (2024-25)

6 July 202613 June 2026
Mental Capacity in Practice

Many readers will be familiar with the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) – an important, if poorly implemented piece of legislation. While DoLS primarily relates to the Mental Capacity Act (2005), one of the oddities of the law is that DoLS was actually first introduced as part of a Mental Health Act (2007), and as such, the CQC’s monitoring report for DoLS is published within the Monitoring of the Mental Health Act 2024-25 report, rather than the MCA.

Care in the home: carer helping elderly lady down the stairs

Key legislation updates (so far) in 2022

25 July 202215 July 2022
Comment, Mental Capacity in Practice

This year has seen several quite significant updates in healthcare legislation, with several important changes for the way we treat and care for patients. While these are not all related to the Mental Capacity Act directly, it’s important that we take note of the changes and how they affect our day-to-day work.

Isolation and seclusion: old man looking out a window

Covid ‘isolation’ or seclusion: Are we in breach of Human Rights?

14 February 202210 October 2022
Comment

It has been a trying few years for everyone with the impact of Covid and related restrictions. During this time, I have been privileged to see some incredible person-centred care. For example, one of the homes I have worked with went above and beyond to ensure that an isolating gentleman with learning disabilities, who had tested positive, had a staff member at his door throughout the day to engage with him and give him someone to talk to. They also supported him by doing activities at a distance and he had thrice-daily supported access to the gardens to get fresh air and a change of scene.