The Mental Capacity Act Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards have been introduced to provide a framework for people who are, or may become, deprived of their liberty. Here, I describe the background to the legislation and the assessment process that leads to authorisation of deprivation of liberty. I also outline the review and appeal processes and consider some of the challenges that may be associated with implementing the new legislation.
Ruth Cairns MBBS BSc MRCPsych is a Chadburn Lecturer in Liaison Psychiatry at the Institute of Psychiatry and an Honorary Specialist Registrar in General Adult and Old Age Psychiatry at the Maudsley Hospital, London, UK. Her research interests include mental capacity and deprivation of liberty. Conflict of interests: none declared
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