A new online directory of Mental Capacity Act (MCA) resources, including examples of good practice, has been launched by the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE).
The directory contains material aimed at a number of groups including care workers, social workers, health professionals, housing, the police, the finance sector, multi-agency partnerships, and for people who may lack capacity, along with their family and friends.
All content for the directory has been submitted by professionals across all the sectors that use the MCA. All the materials that are included in the directory have been quality-assured by a panel of experts, coordinated by SCIE.
The directory also seeks to raise awareness about MCA issues, including the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). It has information and various tools to help understand or implement it. Also included are links to leading blogs in this area, as well as to the Social Care Online database of research and journals.
SCIE’s chief executive, Tony Hunter, said: “This is a great new resource if you want a quick journey to quality-assured MCA resources. It’s vital that staff working with people, who may lack capacity, fully understand the implications of the Mental Capacity Act. We hope the directory will help staff to explore the sometimes difficult decisions that have to be made about capacity. The resources in the directory will be invaluable to staff working in health, social care and housing – and we have also made links with some key organisations within the financial sector.”
Lady Hale, deputy president of The Supreme Court, added: “The SCIE MCA Directory will be a welcomed single point of access for good quality MCA resources. It will support staff who often have to ensure that people who may lack capacity are properly supported to make decisions and have their human rights upheld.”
Lorraine Currie MCA and DoLs Manager at Shropshire Council, also welcomed the resource. “To have a place to direct practitioners to is great,” she said. “I am enthusiastic about the future development of the Directory and expect that it will evolve into something bigger and better as time goes on. This is a good way to share both good practice and resources which will save both time and money. Overall I think this is a great way to embed the MCA across the health and care workforce.”
