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NEW from SCIE - Best interests decisions - A COVID-19 quick guide

The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) has published a quick guide to help people across social care and health settings to apply provisions of the Mental Capacity Act about making best interests decisions for or on behalf of people who lack the relevant capacity in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The MCA remains unaltered by the Coronavirus Act 2020. But while the law stays the same, applying the MCA in practice clearly has to take on board the new and challenging implications of COVID-19 and the measures, such as social distancing and testing, in place to combat it. The guide usefully covers common COVID-related decisions including:

  • COVID-19 testing
  • Social distancing
  • Self-isolating
  • Moving home
  • Discharge from hospital
  • Usual activities

Click here to read more: SCIE Best interests decisions: A COVID-19 quick guide (published July 2020).

Also of interest: New guidance: Technology checklist for video calling an adult or carer. This checklist covers the necessary steps a social worker or practitioner should take to ensure that technology for video calling is ready and appropriate.


Published