This webinar from the SCIE series focusses on enacting the second principle of the Mental Capacity Act for people with communication difficulties. It explores who might need supported decision-making, what supported decision-making for people with communication difficulties might look like in practice, how Speech & Language Therapists can help, and what other professionals can do when a Speech & Language Therapist is not available to provide support.

There are case studies included to demonstrate best practice and provide information on useful tools and further learning opportunities.

National Mental Capacity Act Forum

The National MCA Forum have recorded a series of webinars, An Introduction to Communication
Difficulties and Supported Decision-Making will support practitioners with practical information when assessing the capacity of individuals who may have communication difficulties.  Watch the webinar, access slides and resources here.

This week is also Learning Disability Awareness week and so we are also promoting the importance of assessing capacity and supported decision making for those adults with a learning disability.  You can view a PowerPoint Presentation which describes the commitments to the Learning Disability Diamond Standards developed by the North East and Cumbria Learning Disability Network to support NHS Trusts which makes a committment to deliver high quality, reasonably adjusted care to people with a learning disability.

Reasonable adjustments for adults with a learning disability

Reasonable adjustments are small changes that can help people with a learning disability be treated equally. The law says that reasonable adjustments should be put in place.  

The indivdiual has the right to ask for reasonable adjustments if they have an appointment realting to their health.  Reasonable adjustments could be the way that the professionals work with them or things they need when attending appointments.  Every person is different and will need different changes but there are some which are more common.

Mencap have produced a short video regarding resonable adjustments. In the short film, volunteers from the project Getting It Right - From The Start share some of the small changes that can be made to help people with a learning disability access healthcare services.

Advocates can play an important role in supporting people to make their own decisions. 

CSAB have published a A Quick Guide to...Advocacy where you can find out more information. 

Learning from recent SARs highlighted missed opportunities where a referral could have been made for an Independent Mental Capacity Advocate (IMCA).  It is important that professionals are clear when they should refer for an IMCA and that any assessment should be time and decision specific, you can read the learning from the Jessica SAR here.

What an Independent Advocate? 

Watch this short video illustrating the role of an IMCA supporting individuals.  

CSAB are sharing learning resources for practitioners for personal development and can also be useful during team meetings and/or supervision sessions.

CSAB MCA learning zone

You will find a range of resources and information on our website

Social Care Institute for Excellence

SCIE have produced a whole series of short learning videos for practitioners based on the 5 principles of the MCA.  Watch here 

MCA easy read guide

You can access an MCA easy read guide and summary here

GP guide to capacity and consent to treatment

You can watch the short video here.The video uses Jean's story, to illustrate how GPs can assess mental capacity to consent to treatment.  Jean has dementia and needs medical treatment.

CQC guidance for providers 

When something goes wrong in health and social care, the people affected and staff often say, "I don't want this to happen to anyone else." These 'Learning from safety incidents' resources are designed to do just that. Each one briefly describes a critical issue - what happened, what CQC and the provider have done about it, and the steps you can take to avoid it happening in your service.

Regulation 11 requires that care and treatment of people using services must only be provided with the consent of the relevant person.  For more information read Capacity & Consent from CQC here.

Legal advice and guidance

39 Essex Street Chambers has developed an unrivalled set of resources for those seeking to apply and understand the Mental Capacity Act 2005, as well as to understand the place of mental capacity within the law more generally.  There is a dedicated MCA section of the website which gathers together sets of resources which you can access.

Edge Training Ltd resources

There are a series of briefings and information sheets intended to support practitioners working with the MCA.  This includes case law updates, guidance and templates find out more here