Provision of DoLS Assessments

The Mental Capacity Act (2005) is amended by the Mental Health Act (1983 as amended 2007) to include the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards, implemented on 1st April 2009. The safeguards provide legal protection for vulnerable people who are, or may become, deprived of their liberty in a hospital or care home. They apply to people who have a mental disorder and who are assessed as lacking capacity to consent to the arrangements made for their residence, care or treatment. Medway Council has a dedicated DoLS Service and requires the provision of an s12 DoLS trained doctors' contract. The requirements for this contract are as follows:

a) Provision of appropriately qualified and trained doctors. b) Provision of doctors with mix of experience - learning disability, older persons, brain injury. c) Facility to undertake assessments within seven days of referral. d) Secure e-mail transmission between doctor and Medway DoLS Office with all forms digitally signed. e) Service to ensure that doctors are appropriately qualified, trained and updated annually. Service to ensure that doctors have suitable indemnity insurance, current vetting and barring certificate and any necessary work permit/visa for working in the UK. f) Access for doctors to legal advice for complex cases. Provision of doctors willing to assess alongside Best Interests Assessors at a time best suited to the person(s) being assessed, including availability for out of hour's assessments.