In 2014 the House of Lords Select Committee report, Mental Capacity Act 2005: Post Legislative Scrutiny, said that the Act needs a higher profile among professionals in order to be properly understood and effectively implemented, and that the Medical Royal Colleges have a responsibility to play their part in promoting best practice through standard setting, training, awareness-raising and enforcement.

Therefore the Academy has begun work to ensure that the Mental Capacity Act is fully understood, supported and implemented across the medical profession by:

  • Providing a network function within the clinical community regarding the Act
  • Promoting the Act through Colleges
  • Holding events to increasing understating on the legal and ethics aspects of the Act.

This work is being carried out by the Academy Mental Capacity Act Group, chaired by Dr Julie Chalmers.