Information for the public | Decision-making and mental capacity | Guidance

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They can also make it hard to use information or to communicate what they have decided.</p> </div> </div> <h2 style="padding: 0px;">The Mental Capacity Act</h2> <div class="row"> <div class="span2"><img class="media-object" style="width: 75px;" src="https://www.nice.org.uk/Media/Default/images/IFP/legal-document.png" alt="Legal document" width="100" height="100" /></div> <div class="span10"> <p>A law called the Mental Capacity Act protects people who might not be able to make decisions. It says staff working with people should:</p> <ul> <li>always assume people can decide for themselves unless it is shown that they can’t</li> <li>help people make their own decisions whenever they can</li> <li>respect what people decide even if they don’t agree</li> <li>make sure that if a decision is made for someone it is in their best interests.</li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="row"> <div class="span2"><img style="width: 75px;" src="https://www.nice.org.uk/Media/Default/images/IFP/easy-read-teal1.png" alt="EasyRead" width="100" height="100" /></div> <div class="span10"> <p>You can read more about the Mental Capacity Act at the <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/making-decisions-for-someone-else/mental-capacity-act/">NHS website</a> or the <a href="https://www.cqc.org.uk/help-advice/mental-health-capacity/about-mental-capacity-act">Care Quality Commission</a>.</p> <p>You can also see an <a href="https://www.scie.org.uk/mca-directory/mca-tailored-for-you/users-carers/">EasyRead guide</a> to the Act.</p> </div> </div> <h2 style="padding: 0px;">What is this guideline about?</h2> <div class="row"> <div class="span2"><img class="media-object" style="width: 75px;" src="https://www.nice.org.uk/Media/Default/images/IFP/about-advice-teal1.png" alt="Advice" width="100" height="100" /></div> <div class="span10"> <p>We have written this guideline to help staff use the Mental Capacity Act. Some of the ways the guideline says staff can do this are listed below.</p> </div> </div> <h3 style="padding: 0px;">Help and support people</h3> <div class="row"> <div class="span2"><img class="media-object" style="width: 75px;" src="https://www.nice.org.uk/Media/Default/images/IFP/staff-support.png" alt="Staff support" width="100" height="100" /></div> <div class="span10"> <ul> <li>Get to know people well – this helps staff understand what support someone will need to decide something</li> <li>Give people information they can understand</li> <li>Help them say what they think</li> </ul> </div> </div> <h3 style="padding: 0px;">Talk about advocacy</h3> <div class="row"> <div class="span2"><img class="media-object" style="width: 75px;" src="https://www.nice.org.uk/Media/Default/images/IFP/talk-about.png" alt="Talk about" width="100" height="100" /></div> <div class="span10"> <ul> <li>Tell people about independent advocates – they make sure people’s views, wishes and feelings are listened to</li> <li>Explain when an advocate might help, like when someone needs to make an important decision</li> </ul> </div> </div> <h3 style="padding: 0px;">Advance care planning</h3> <div class="row"> <div class="span2"><img class="media-object" style="width: 75px;" src="https://www.nice.org.uk/Media/Default/images/IFP/care-planning.png" alt="Care planning" width="100" height="100" /></div> <div class="span10"> <ul> <li>Tell people they can make decisions now about the future and explain what this involves</li> <li>Help them through this process – this means making a written plan together and checking often that they are still happy with it</li> </ul> </div> </div> <h2 style="height: 1em;">In the news</h2> <div class="row"> <div class="span2"><img class="media-object" style="width: 85px;" src="https://www.nice.org.uk/Media/Default/images/IFP/news-teal1.png" alt="News" width="100" height="100" /></div> <div class="span10"> <p>Read NICE news about how this guideline will help.</p> <p>Follow us on <a href="https://twitter.com/NICEcomms?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://en-gb.facebook.com/NationalInstituteforHealthandCareExcellence/">Facebook</a>.</p> </div> </div> <h2 style="padding: 0px;">Where can I find out more?</h2> <div class="row"> <div class="span2"><img class="media-object" style="width: 75px;" src="https://www.nice.org.uk/Media/Default/images/IFP/information-teal1.png" alt="Information" width="100" height="100" /></div> <div class="span10"> <p>These people can give you more advice and support.</p> <p>Their information is not written by NICE.</p> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/">Alzheimer’s Society</a>, 0300 222 11 22</li> <li><a href="https://www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice/talk-to-us/">Carers UK</a>, 0808 808 7777</li> <li><a href="https://www.headway.org.uk/">Headway – the brain injury association</a>, 0808 800 2244</li> <li><a href="http://www.mencap.org.uk/">Mencap</a>, 0808 808 1111</li> <li><a href="https://www.mind.org.uk/">Mind</a>, 0300 123 3393</li> <li><a href="https://www.pohwer.net/">POhWER</a>, 0300 456 2370</li> <li><a href="https://www.rethink.org/">Rethink Mental Illness</a>, 0300 5000 927</li> </ul> <p>To share an experience of care you have received, contact your local <a href="https://www.healthwatch.co.uk/your-local-healthwatch/list">Healthwatch</a>.</p> </div> </div> <h2 style="padding: 0px;">Who wrote this guideline?</h2> <div class="row"> <div class="span2"><img class="media-object" style="width: 75px;" src="https://www.nice.org.uk/Media/Default/images/IFP/group-teal1.png" alt="Collaboration" width="100" height="100" /></div> <div class="span10"> <p>We wrote this guideline with people who have needed support to make decisions, their families and carers and staff who support them. The guideline is based on the best research available.</p> <p>ISBN: 978-1-4731-2960-3</p> </div> </div> </div> <br> <div class="panel panel-resources"> <div class="panel-body"> <ul class="media-list"> <li class="media media-resource" style="background-color: #fff; padding-left: 5px;"> <div class="media-body nice_indent_1"> <div class="media-heading resource-link"> <a class="track-link" href="/guidance/ng108/resources/gwybodaeth-ir-cyhoedd-pdf-6664718845" data-track="resourcedownload" data-track-category="resource download" data-track-action="clicked" data-track-label="/guidance/ng108/resources/gwybodaeth-ir-cyhoedd-pdf-6664718845"> <span class="icon-download"></span> Gwybodaeth i'r cyhoedd  <sup class="download-metadata"> PDF 371 KB </sup> </a> <span class="stats"> <time class="data-date" datetime="2019-04-01">01 April 2019  </time> </span> </div> </div> </li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="lastUpdated"> <p> This page was last updated: <time datetime="2018-10-03">03 October 2018</time> </p> </div> </article> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </main> <div id="global-nav-footer"></div> <script> var global_nav_config = { service: "guidance", header: { cookie: false, skipLinkId: "content-start", search: { url: "/search", autocomplete: "/autocomplete?ajax=ajax", }, auth: { environment: "live" } } }; </script>  <script src="https://cdn.nice.org.uk/global-nav/global-nav.min.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <script src="//cdn.nice.org.uk/V2/Scripts/twitter.bootstrap.min.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <script src="/Themes/NICE.Bootstrap/scripts/niceorg/NICE.TopScroll.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <script src="//cdn.nice.org.uk/V2/Scripts/NICE.bootstrap.min.js" type="text/javascript"></script> </body> </html>

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Information for the public | Decision-making and mental capacity | Guidance | NICE