What is a Mental Capacity Assessment?

The assessment is the process which is used to determine if someone has mental capacity to make a particular decision (see What does Mental Capacity mean?).

It will not always be a professional that carries out the assessment and makes the decision.  For most day to day things it will be the family, friends and carers.  If there is a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) in place that covers the decision being made, the LPA will be the assessor and the decision maker.  A professional can help the LPA undertake the capacity assessment. Click on this link Mental Capacity – Making Decisions Flowchart to guide you through the process for the decisions you may be making or be helping with.

You can also read more about the assessment process in the professional section of this website by clicking on this link Assessing Mental Capacity.

Topics covered include:

• Who is responsible for assessing capacity?
• When should capacity be assessed?
• How it is assessed and some examples;
• The tools that may be used.