How will the Mental Capacity (Health, Welfare and Finance) Bill work in practice?

Dr Gavin Davidson (QUB)

This presentation will use case examples to demonstrate how the proposed Mental Capacity Bill will provide a comprehensive framework for supported and substitute decision making, for people whose decision-making ability is impaired, in Northern Ireland. The case examples will cover both civil and criminal justice aspects of the new law across a range of levels and settings. This applied approach will allow the proposed assessment, intervention and review aspects of the Mental Capacity Bill to be explored. It will also facilitate consideration of: the scope of the new law; the proposed safeguards; compulsion in non-hospital settings; advance care planning; and addressing public safety issues. The discussion of the case studies, and how the new law would apply to them, will be based on the views of a range of key stakeholders. The presentation will also highlight education, training and research priorities for implementing the Bill.

Date of seminar: 20 February 2014.