Deprivation of liberty safeguards (DoLS)

Overview

Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) were introduced to dovetail with the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) via the 2007 amendment to the 1983 Mental Health Act (MHA). It’s important to understand that DoLS are part of the MCA. Therefore, all the key principles of the MCA apply equally to DoLS and you must be familiar with the MCA, as well as DoLS, including both Codes of Practice.

What's included in this course?

The module covers the following areas:

• Discuss when a person’s liberty could be legally or illegally restricted and/or restrained.
• Recognise a potential or actual DoLS situation.
• Understand the DoLS application process.
• Understand when an Independent Mental Capacity Advocate (IMCA) is required and how to find an IMCA for your service user. 
• Common mental health problems that lead people to experience mental health crisis.
• An understanding of the MCA and its five key principles.
• Learning how capacity is assessed and how you could be part of making best interest decisions.
• What can be put in place to help people plan for the future.