Jakki Cowley

Imagine going to work one day, getting knocked off your motorbike en route and never leaving hospital having sustained a traumatic brain injury. That's what happened to Paul Briggs, a Merseyside police officer who was left in a minimally conscious state. Richard was knocked off his pushbike and never regained consciousness. Mrs N had multiple sclerosis and was unable to talk, move her body or express herself in any way in the 8 years she lived in a nursing home. Jodie accidentally overdosed on medication and was placed in a nursing home remaining in a permanent vegetative state. June asked to go home from hospital before she became unconscious, she never got to go. Their stories are interwoven with mine because I had the privilege to be part of all their lives - and deaths.

This book provides a theory-to-practice breakdown of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and what its implications are for health and social care workers. Informative and accessible, it provides a clear depiction of the ethos behind the Act and offers instruction for its effective, lawful and person-centred application. This practical guide describes how to assess capacity and what a good assessment of capacity should look like, how to deal with conflicts and dilemmas, and the role of legal authority in decision-making. A Practical Guide to the Mental Capacity Act 2005 is an invaluable resource for any health and social care professionals working with individuals who lack decision-making capacity.