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Other useful information about mental capacity

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Conference - Understanding the Mental Capacity Act: Implications for housing, care and support

Monday 11th June, Leeds Federated Housing Association, Leeds
Thursday 14th June, Royal Society of Medicine, Wimpole Street, London

The Mental Capacity Act 2005 comes into effect in April 2007 introducing a major overhaul of the law relating to individuals who lack capacity in decision making, particularly around changes in accommodation.  The Act introduces a legal obligation on health and social care commissioners to jointly commission advocacy services and will also have significant implications for the provision of supported housing, care and support services. 

What are the implications of the Mental Capacity Act?  What difference will the Act make to commissioners, providers and users of housing, care and support sector services and, importantly, how will it be implemented?

Commissioned by the Department of Health, these national events will support delegates to understand the implications of the Act on their work with vulnerable people, and will provide essential guidance and practical advice direct from Government, policy makers and practitioners on the implementation of the Act.  Delegates will also benefit from the opportunity to share innovation and network with colleagues from around the country. 

Sessions will explore:-

• Making sense of the Act and its implications for housing, care and support
• Integrating the principles of the Act - assessments of capacity, concepts of best interest
• Understanding the Code of Practice - how will the Act will work on a day to day basis?
• The power of attorney and best practice in service delivery
• Implications for the individual - promoting choice and social inclusion, ending neglect and institutionalisation
• IMCA services – how do they work in reality?

Who should attend?

This event has been planned specifically to support those responsible for commissioning, providing or managing housing, care and support services for people who lack capacity to make decisions.  It is of particular relevance to those supporting people with dementia, mental health issues, learning disabilities and stroke and brain injuries.  Supported housing providers, social care and support commissioners and providers, carers and service users would all benefit from attending this event.

Registration from: 9.30 am
Start: 10.00 am
Finish: 4.00 pm  

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Conference - Wednesday 6th July 2005

The Making Decisions Alliance, working with the Department for Constitutional Affairs and the Department of Health, in partnership with Pavilion presents:

Operating to Full Capacity : The implications of the Mental Capacity Act

The new Mental Capacity Act 2005, which covers England and Wales, sets out a statutory framework for people who may not be able to make their own decisions, for example, because of a learning disability, an illness such as dementia or mental health problems. It sets out who can take decisions in which situations, and how they should go about it. The Act will transform the lives of up to two million disabled people, older people and their carers, and the way they are supported.

This conference will explain the key provisions of the Act and its practical implications in preparation for its implementation in 2007. The conference will equip people with awareness and understanding, not only of the new legislation but also of real-life situations in which the Act will operate.

The conference will also provide the forum for an exchange of views on the challenges and opportunities for implementation both to those people responsible for policy at a local level and for front-line delivery of services.

Confirmed speakers include:

When you book one ticket at the full rate you are entitled to a 20% reduction on a second place. Ideal if you want to split the cost between yourself and a colleague.

For further information please contact Pavilion’s customer service team on 0870 161 3505 or visit www.pavpub.com/pavpub/useredit/conferences/pdf/mhcapacityactflyer-final.pdf to view the conference flyer.

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The Mental Health Foundation and the Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities hosted an online conference on the afternoon of Wednesday 23rd March 2005 entitled Values and Mental Capacity. We are doing it in partnership with the National Institute for Mental Health in England (NIMHE), the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health and the University of Warwick.

The conference was free and should be of interest to service users, people with disabilities, carers, academics, professionals and policy makers and the range of papers at the conference aims to reflect this mix.

Themes included:

The conference is free - all you need to have is access to the internet. You can visit the conference site at:
https://www.connects.org.uk/conferences/default.asp?codeItemID=45 - click on "Foyer" for more information.

You will need to register if you have not participated in one of MHF's online conferences before but this only takes a couple of minutes. If you have any queries or problems in regard to registering, please contact the Webteam on 0207 803 1147 or email webteam@mhf.org.uk

Papers will be posted available to read a week before the conference and even if you are busy on the day you can always look at the discussions that took place on a later date.

We very much hope that you will be able to participate in the conference.