Mental Capacity Act: Is it being used to empower people? Complete session

Mental Capacity Act: Is it being used to empower people? A person with learning disabilities has the same rights as any other citizen and this includes having autonomy and control over their life. However, historically this has not always been the case and many people with learning disabilities have had little choice and were often assumed as lacking the capacity to make their own decisions. Over the last 30 years policy throughout the UK has strived to ensure equal rights for people with learning disabilities, including the right to make their own decisions. The introduction of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) (2005) in England and Wales sought to ensure that the decision-making rights of all vulnerable people were upheld and that there was due legal process for those who had difficulty making particular decisions. SPEAKERS: Lucy Bonnerjea Department of Health, Mental Capacity Policy and implementation Team Toby Williamson Head of Development and Later Life, Mental Health Foundation Steve Hardy Education and Training Lead, Estia Centre, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust