Particularly vulnerable people in the United
Kingdom who lack capacity to make their own decisions will be supported
and represented
by a new Independent Mental Capacity Advocate (IMCA), under detailed
proposals announced today by health minister Rosie Winterton.
The IMCA service will mean that certain people who lack capacity -
this may include people who suffer from dementia, Alzheimer’s
disease, brain injury or a very severe learning disability - will
be helped to make difficult decisions such as medical treatment choices
or changes to residence. It is aimed specifically at those people
who do not have relatives or friends to speak for them.
The Department of Health today published the results of
last year's public consultation which covered important operational
details in
setting up the IMCA service. These include:
- the main functions
the IMCA will carry out;
- how to define "serious medical treatment" - one of the
triggers for involving an IMCA;
- whether to extend the service to cover other groups of people
or different circumstances.
The scheme was introduced under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and implementation
is planned for April 2007.
Rosie Winterton said:
" This report demonstrates the Government’s commitment
to supporting the most vulnerable people who lack capacity in relation
to particularly difficult situations. We have listened to the views
of respondents about the need to develop a high quality service, and
I am pleased that we can now move closer to making this service available
to the people who need it most."
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