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Mental Capacity Act 2005

 
The Mental Capacity Act 2005 will be implemented on 1 April 2007 and will cover England and Wales.

The Act provides a statutory framework for people who may not be able to make their own decisions because of mental disability. The Act promotes fair treatment for people who may be affected, and protects the rights of some of the most vulnerable people in society.

More than two million people in England and Wales may lack the capacity to make decisions by themselves. They may be people with:

  • dementia
  • learning disabilities
  • mental health problems
  • people who have suffered stroke and head injuries

Carers and healthcare professionals

All informal and paid carers and social and healthcare professionals and providers must abide by the key principles of the Act.

Download information leaflets

Two booklets are available for people who may be affected by the Act. The first is for people who may be affected by the Mental Capacity Act. The second is for those who care for people who may be affected by the Act.

How could the Act affect me? pdf 268kb
Guide for people who work in healthcare pdf 189kb

You will need a copy of Adobe Reader to download these documents. See the Useful links on the right to download a free copy of the reader.

Further information

For more information, please contact the Council's Commissioning and Business Service in the Adults and Older People's Directorate using the contact information in the menu on the right.

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