Mental Capacity & Deprivation Of Liberty Safeguards (DOLS)

Mental capacity is a person's ability to understand information, weigh options, and make their own decisions at a specific time, even if the decision seems unusual to others.

It's decision-specific and time-specific, meaning someone might lack capacity for a major financial choice but still manage daily tasks like choosing clothes.

Lacking capacity, often due to conditions like dementia, brain injury, or severe mental illness, requires support to make choices, guided by laws like the UK's Mental Capacity Act, which ensures people's rights are protected.

This half day training course provides an essential overview of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DOLS), designed for professionals working in health and social care settings.

The session aims to enhance participants' understanding of the legal framework underpinning the MCA, with a focus on assessing mental capacity, making best interest decisions, and recognising situations where DOLS may apply.

Through interactive discussion and practical case studies, attendees will learn how to apply MCA principles effectively in daily practice and ensure compliance with DOLS procedures.

The course is suitable for staff at all levels who have a responsibility for supporting individuals who may lack capacity and safeguarding their rights under the law.