Capacity to Consent Policy

Transcription

1 Capacity to Consent Policy

2 Recommended by Approved by Executive Management Team Quality Committee Approval date October 2015 Version number 2.0 Review date October 2017 Responsible Director Responsible Manager (Sponsor) For use by Medical Director Senior Clinical Quality Manager All Trust employees This policy is available in alternative formats on request. Please contact the Senior Clinical Quality Manager on NWAS Capacity to Consent Policy Page: Page 2 of 38

3 Change record form Version Date of change Date of release Changed by Reason for change 0.1 April 2008 April 2008 Draft document 1.0 October 2008 October 2008 Final document 1.1 October 2010 October 2010 NHSLA Monitoring 0.2 June 2011 M Peters Document Review 0.3 March 2012 S Barnard Document review 1.2 May 2012 May 2012 Final Document 2.0 March 2015 M Peters Document Review NWAS Capacity to Consent Policy Page: Page 3 of 38

4 Capacity to Consent Policy Contents 1 Patient Consent Purpose Duties What consent is, and what it is not Children and Young People Mental Capacity Helping People to make decisions for themselves Assessing Capacity The two stage test of Capacity Best Interests The use of Physical Intervention Capacity Assessment Process: Assessing Capacity Role of Police Policy Review Monitoring Compliance Equality impact Assessment Statement Appendix 1: Lasting Powers of Attorney and Advance Decisions Appendix 2: MCA Interface with other legislative policy and procedures Appendix 3: Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) NWAS Capacity to Consent Policy Page: Page 4 of 38

5 1 Patient Consent 1.1 Context Patients have a fundamental legal and ethical right to determine what happens to their own bodies. Valid consent to treatment is therefore absolutely central in all forms of healthcare, from providing personal care to undertaking major surgery. Seeking consent is also a matter of common courtesy between health professionals and patients. Good Practice in Consent Implementation Guide: Consent to Examination or Treatment, Department of Health. 2 Purpose 2.1 This policy sets out the standards and guidance for the Trust, which aim to ensure that health professionals are able to comply with law and Department of Health Guidance with regards to the principles of consent and also mental capacity assessment. 2.2 This policy should be read and the guidance must be followed by all staff who are working for NWAS (on a paid or voluntary basis) and this includes the North West Air Ambulance, and where appropriate voluntary personnel such as Community First Responders. 3 Duties 3.1 The Chief Executive has overall responsibility for the Trust having systems in place to ensure its employees are able to comply with law and Department of Health Guidance with regards to the principles of consent and also the Mental Capacity Act The Medical Director has been delegated this responsibility as the executive lead for consent and mental capacity. The Medical Director will be responsible for ensuring the appropriate policy development, implementation and monitoring. NWAS Capacity to Consent Policy Page: Page 5 of 38

6 3.3 The Assistant Clinical Director (Chief Consultant Paramedic) is responsible for the corporate management and implementation of the Capacity to Consent Policy, including the provision of clinical advice to staff across the whole Trust. 3.4 The Head of Clinical Quality is responsible for development and implementation of the Capacity to Consent Policy, including monitoring and the provision of policy compliance assurance across the Trust. 3.5 The Assistant Medical Directors and Consultant Paramedics will be responsible for supporting local implementation of the policy and the provision of clinical advice to staff and will have responsibility, locally, for ensuring the effective implementation and monitoring of the policy. 3.6 The Senior Clinical Quality Manager is responsible for supporting the implementation, monitoring and the development of policy compliance assurance across the Trust. 3.7 The Clinical Quality Manager will have responsibility for supporting implementation and monitoring of the policy, including supporting the management of day to day issues. 3.8 The Heads of Service have a responsibility to ensure that the policy implementation is fully supported and communicated to all staff. 3.9 Advanced and Senior Paramedics have a responsibility to ensure that the policy implementation is fully supported and communicated to all staff and are responsible for providing clinical advice to staff and supporting any audit or monitoring processes All Clinical Staff have a responsibility to ensure they are familiar and understand the policy and apply it when managing all patients. The health professional or carer examining or treating the patient is ultimately responsible for ensuring the patient is genuinely consenting to what is being done: it is they who will be held responsible in law if this is challenged later. It is a health professional s or carer s own responsibility: To ensure that when they require colleagues to seek consent on their behalf they are confident that the colleague is competent to do so; and NWAS Capacity to Consent Policy Page: Page 6 of 38

7 To work within their own competence and not to agree to perform tasks which exceed their competence. If you feel you are being pressurised to seek consent when you do not feel competent to do so contact your local manager or Advanced Paramedic. In these circumstances it may be necessary for the individual to be counselled and to undertake a debrief of the particular incident to ensure a full understanding of the principles of consent. 4 What consent is, and what it is not Consent is a patient s agreement for a health care professional to provide care. Patients may indicate consent non-verbally (for example by presenting an arm for a pulse to be taken), orally or in writing. For the consent to be valid, the patient must: Be competent to take the particular decision Have received sufficient information to take it; and Not be acting under duress The context of consent can take many different forms, ranging from the active request by a patient for a particular treatment (which may or may not be appropriate or available) to the passive acceptance of a health professional s advice. In some cases, the health professional will suggest a particular form of treatment or investigation and after discussion the patient may agree to accept it. In others, there may be a number of ways of treating a condition, and the health professional will help the patient to decide between them. Some patients, especially those with chronic conditions, become very well informed about their illness and may actively request particular treatments. In many cases, seeking consent is better described as joint decision-making : the patient and health professional need to come to an agreement on the best way forward, based on the patient s values and preferences and the health professional s clinical knowledge. NWAS Capacity to Consent Policy Page: Page 7 of 38

8 4.1 Valid Consent For consent to be valid it must be given voluntarily by an appropriately informed person (the patient or where relevant someone with parental responsibility for a patient under the age of 18) who has the capacity to consent to the intervention in question. If the person does not know what the intervention entails then this is not consent. 4.2 Form of Consent The validity of consent does not depend on the form in which it is given. The elements of voluntariness, appropriate information and capacity must be satisfied for consent to be valid. Consent may be expressed verbally or non-verbally: an example of non-verbal consent would be where a patient, after receiving appropriate information, holds out an arm for their blood pressure to be taken. 4.3 Giving Consent To be valid, consent must be given voluntarily and freely, without pressure or undue influence being exerted on the patient either to accept or refuse treatment. Such pressure can come from partners or family members as well as health or care professionals. Professionals should be alert to this possibility and where appropriate should arrange to see the patient on their own to establish that the decision is truly that of the patient. To give valid consent the patient needs to understand in broad terms the nature and purpose of the procedure. Any misrepresentation of these elements will invalidate consent. Although informing patients of the nature and purpose of procedures enables valid consent to be given as far as any claim of battery (physical assault or handling of a patient without consent) is concerned, this is not sufficient to fulfil the legal duty of care to the patient. Failure to provide other relevant information may render the professional liable to action for negligence if a patient subsequently suffers harm as a result of the treatment received. 4.4 Duration of Consent When a patient gives valid consent to an intervention, in general that consent remains valid for an indefinite duration unless the patient withdraws it. NWAS Capacity to Consent Policy Page: Page 8 of 38

9 4.5 Withdrawal of Consent A patient with capacity is entitled to withdraw consent at any time, including during the performance of a procedure. Where a patient does object during treatment, it is good practice for the practitioner, if at all possible, to stop the procedure, establish the patient s concerns and explain the consequences of not completing the procedure. At times an apparent objection may reflect a cry of pain rather than withdrawal of consent, and appropriate reassurance may enable the practitioner to continue with the patient s consent. If stopping the procedure at that point would genuinely put the life of the patient at risk, the practitioner may be entitled to continue until the risk no longer applies. Assessing capacity during a procedure may be difficult and, as noted above, factors such as pain, panic and shock may diminish capacity to consent. The practitioner should try to establish whether at that time the patient has the capacity to withdraw a previously given consent. If capacity is lacking, it may sometimes be justified to continue in the patient s best interests, although this should not be used as an excuse to ignore distress. 4.6 When Consent is refused If an adult with capacity makes a voluntary and appropriately informed decision to refuse treatment this decision must be respected, except in circumstances defined by the Mental Health Act This is the case even where this may result in the death of the patient and/or the death of an unborn child, whatever the stage of pregnancy. Refusal of treatment by those under the age of 18 is covered in further sections of this policy. 4.7 Exceptions to the Principles of Consent Certain statutes set out specific exceptions to the principles noted within this policy. These are briefly described below: Part IV of the Mental Health Act 1983 sets out circumstances in which patients detained under the Act may be treated without consent for their mental disorder. It has no application to treatment for physical disorders unrelated to the mental disorder, which remains subject to the common law principles. NWAS Capacity to Consent Policy Page: Page 9 of 38

10 Neither the existence of mental disorder nor the fact of detention under the 1983 Act should give rise to an assumption of incapacity. The patient s capacity must be assessed in every case in relation to the particular decision being made. The capacity of a person with mental disorder may fluctuate. The Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984 provides that, on an order made by a magistrate, persons suffering from certain notifiable infectious diseases can be medically examined, removed to, and detained in a hospital without their consent, such regulations have not been made and thus the treatment of such persons must be based on the common law principles. Section 47 of the National Assistance Act 1948 provides for the removal to suitable premises of persons in need of care and attention without their consent. Such persons must either be suffering from grave chronic disease or be aged, infirm or physically incapacitated and living in insanitary conditions. In either case, they must be unable to devote to themselves (and are not receiving from others) proper care and attention. The Act does not give a power to treat such persons without their consent and therefore their treatment is dependent on common law principles. Common Law does however recognise that it can be in the public interest for doctors to disclose confidential personal information and that the nature and scale of the disclosure has to be balanced against the benefits to society. While Common Law establishes some core principles it does not specify when confidential information may or may not be disclosed to others in research or most other activities 5 Children and Young People The legal position regarding consent and refusal of treatment by those under the age of 18 is different for that of adults, in particular when treatment is refused. 5.1 Young People aged Under Section 8 of the Family Law Reform Act 1969, people aged 16 or 17 are entitled to consent to their own medical treatment and any ancillary procedures involved in their treatment, such as an anaesthetic. As for adults, consent will be valid only if it is given voluntarily by an appropriately informed patient capable of consenting to the particular intervention. However, unlike adults, the refusal of a NWAS Capacity to Consent Policy Page: Page 10 of 38

11 competent person aged may in certain circumstances be over-ridden by either a person with parental responsibility or a court. In order to establish whether a young person aged 16 or 17 has the requisite capacity to consent to the proposed intervention; the same criteria as for adults should be used. If the requirements for valid consent are met, it is not legally necessary to obtain consent from a person with parental responsibility for the young person in addition to that of the young person. It is however, good practice to involve the young person s family in the decision-making process, unless the young person specifically wishes to exclude them. 5.2 Children Under 16: The concept of Gillick Competence Following the case of Gillick the courts have held that children who have sufficient understanding and intelligence to enable them to understand fully what is involved in a proposed intervention will also have the capacity to consent to that intervention. This is sometimes described as being Gillick competent and may apply to treatment, research or tissue donation. As the understanding required for different interventions will vary considerably, a child under 16 may therefore have the capacity to consent to some interventions but not others. As with adults, assumptions that a child with a learning disability may not be able to understand the issues should never be made automatically. If the child is Gillick competent and is able to give voluntary consent after receiving appropriate information, that consent will be valid and additional consent by a person with parental responsibility will not be required. However, where the decision will have on-going implications, it is good practice to encourage the child to inform his or her parents unless it would clearly not be in the child s best interests to do so. Although a child or young person may have the capacity to give consent, valid consent must be given voluntarily. This requirement must be considered carefully. Children and young people may be subject to undue influence by their parents, other carers, or a potential sexual partner, and it is important to establish that the decision is that of the individual him or herself. NWAS Capacity to Consent Policy Page: Page 11 of 38

12 5.3 Child or young person with capacity refusing treatment Where a person of 16 or 17 who does not consent to treatment in accordance with section 8 of the Family Law Reform Act, or a child under 16 but Gillick competent, refuses treatment, such a refusal can be over-ruled either by a person with parental responsibility for the child or by the court. If more than one person has parental responsibility for the young person, consent by any one such person is sufficient, irrespective of the refusal of any other individual. This power to over-rule must be exercised on the basis that the welfare of the child/young person is paramount. As with the concept of best interests, welfare does not just mean physical health. The psychological effect of having the decision over-ruled must also be considered. While no definitive guidance has been given as to when it is appropriate to over-rule a competent young person s refusal, it has been suggested that it should be restricted to occasions where the child is at risk of suffering grave and irreversible mental or physical harm. For parents to be in a position to over-rule a competent child s refusal, they must inevitably be provided with sufficient information about their child s condition, which the child may not be willing for them to receive. While this will constitute a breach of confidence on the part of the clinician treating the child, this may be justifiable where it is in the children s best interests. Such a justification may only apply where the child is at serious risk as a result of their refusal of treatment. A life-threatening emergency may arise when consultation with either a person with parental responsibility or the court is impossible, or the persons with parental responsibility refuse consent despite such emergency treatment appearing to be in the best interests of the child. In such cases the courts have stated that doubt should be resolved in favour of the preservation of life and it will be acceptable to undertake treatment to preserve life or prevent serious damage to health. 6 Mental Capacity Having mental capacity means that a person is able to make their own decisions. A person is unable to make a particular decision if they cannot do one or more of the following four things: Understand information given to them. Retain that information long enough to be able to make the decision. NWAS Capacity to Consent Policy Page: Page 12 of 38

13 Weigh up the information available to make the decision. Communicate their decision - this could be by talking, using sign language or even simple muscle movements such as blinking an eye or squeezing a hand. 6.1 The Mental Capacity Act The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) is specifically designed to cover situations where someone is unable to make a decision because the way their mind or brain works is affected, for instance, by illness or disability, or the effects of drugs or alcohol. A lack of mental capacity could be due to: A stroke or brain injury A mental health problem Dementia A learning disability Confusion, drowsiness or unconsciousness because of an illness or the treatment for it Substance misuse The type of decisions that are covered by the MCA range from day-to-day decisions such as what to wear or eat, through to more serious decisions about where to live, having an operation or what to do with a person s finances and property. The MCA applies to situations where a person may be unable to make a particular decision at a particular time because their mind or brain is affected, for instance, by illness or disability, or the effects of drugs or alcohol. For example someone may be unable to make a decision when they are depressed but may be able to make the decision when they are feeling better. It may be the case that the person lacks capacity to make a particular decision at a particular time but this does not mean that a person lacks all capacity to make any decisions at all. For example a person with a learning disability may lack the capacity to make some major decisions, for instance where they should live, but this does not necessarily mean that they cannot decide what to eat, wear and do each day. It is very important to remember at all times that lack of capacity may not be a permanent condition. Assessments of capacity should be time and decision specific. NWAS Capacity to Consent Policy Page: Page 13 of 38

14 The MCA applies in England and Wales to everyone who works in health and social care and is involved in the care, treatment or support of people over 16 years of age who may lack capacity to make decisions for themselves. It is based on existing best practice and creates a single, coherent framework for dealing with mental capacity issues and an improved system for settling disputes, dealing with personal welfare issues and the property and affairs of people who lack capacity. It puts the individual who lacks capacity at the heart of decision making and places a strong emphasis on supporting and enabling the individual to make his/her own decisions. If they are unable to do this it emphasises that they should be involved in the decision making process as far as possible. It provides new safeguards for people who lack capacity and the people who work with, support or care for them. It is underpinned by five key principles which must inform everything you do when providing care or treatment for a person who lacks capacity. There is a Code of Practice which explains how the MCA works on a day to day basis - available to download at: The MCA and Children and Young People Where the MCA applies to young people aged 16 to 17: There is an overlap between the MCA and the Children Act for 16 and 17 year olds and most of the provisions of the MCA apply to young people and the Code of Practice for the MCA will give guidance on how to proceed. Any decisions relating to the treatment of young people of 16 or 17 years old must be made in their best interests and in accordance with the principles of the MCA. As with all such decisions, the decision-maker must, where practicable and appropriate, consult the person s family and friends, especially those with parental responsibilities, as part of the best interest s decision-making process. NWAS Capacity to Consent Policy Page: Page 14 of 38

15 Where the MCA does not apply to young people aged 16-17: There are certain parts of the MCA that will not apply to young people aged years old, as the MCA requires a person to be 18 or over. These are: making a Lasting Power of Attorney (Appendix 1) making an advance decision to refuse treatment (Appendix 1) Making a will. The law generally does not allow people under 18 to make a will and the MCA confirms that the Court of Protection has no power to make a will on behalf of anyone under 18. Where the MCA applies to children under the age of 16: In most situations the care and welfare of children under 16 will be dealt with under the Children Act There are two parts of the MCA that will apply to children under 16: The Court of Protection s powers to make decisions concerning the property and affairs of a child under the age of 16. The Court can make these decisions where the Court considers it likely that the child will lack capacity to make decisions about their property and affairs even when they are 16. The criminal offence of ill treatment or wilful neglect also applies to children under 16 who lack capacity as no lower age limit is specified for the victim. The Code of Practice explains in more detail about legal proceedings for young people and the relationship with other relevant laws such as the Children Act Key Provisions of the MCA There must always be the presumption that people you provide care or treatment for have capacity to make decisions for themselves. A single clear test for assessing whether a person lacks capacity to make a decision. A check list of key factors which provides a starting point to help you determine what is in the best interests of a person lacking capacity. Several ways that people can influence what happens to them if they are unable to make particular decisions in the future, including advance decisions NWAS Capacity to Consent Policy Page: Page 15 of 38

16 to refuse medical treatment, statements of wishes and feelings, and creating a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) (see Appendix 1). Clarification about the actions you can take if someone does lack capacity, and the legal safeguards that will govern this. An obligation for you to consult, where practical and appropriate, people who are involved in caring for the person who lacks capacity and anyone interested in their welfare (for example family members, friends, partners and carers) about decisions affecting that person. A new advocacy service called the Independent Mental Capacity Advocate (IMCA) service. A new criminal offence of ill-treatment or wilful neglect of people who lack capacity. 6.4 The Five Principles of the MCA The MCA has five key principles which emphasise the fundamental concepts and core values of the MCA. These must be considered and applied when you are working with, or providing care or treatment for people who lack capacity. The five principles are: 1 Every adult has the right to make his or her own decisions and must be assumed to have capacity to do so unless it is proved otherwise. This means that you cannot assume that someone cannot make a decision for themselves just because they have a particular medical condition or disability. 2 People must be supported as much as possible to make a decision before anyone concludes that they cannot make their own decision. This means that you should make every effort to encourage and support the person to make the decision for themselves. If a lack of capacity is established, it is still important that you involve the person as far as possible in making decisions. 3 People have the right to make what others might regard an unwise or eccentric decision. Everyone has their own values, beliefs and preferences which may not be the same as those of other people. You cannot treat them as lacking capacity for that reason. NWAS Capacity to Consent Policy Page: Page 16 of 38

17 4 Anything done for or on behalf of a person who lacks mental capacity must be done in their best interests. 5 Anything done for, or on behalf of, people without capacity should be the least restrictive of their basic rights and freedoms. This means that when you do anything to or for a person who lacks capacity you must choose the option that is in their best interests and you must consider whether you could do this in a way that interferes less with their rights and freedom of action. 7 Helping People to make decisions for themselves When a person in your care needs to make a decision you must start from the assumption that the person has capacity to make the decision in question (Principle 1). You should make every effort to encourage and support the person to make the decision themselves (Principle 2) and you will have to consider a number of factors to assist in the decision making. These could include: Does the person have all the relevant information needed to make the decision? If there is a choice, has information been given on the alternatives? Could the information be explained or presented in a way that is easier for the person to understand? Help should be given to communicate information wherever necessary. For example, a person with a learning disability might find it easier to communicate using pictures, photographs, videos, tapes or sign language. Are there particular times of the day when a person s understanding is better or is there a particular place where they feel more at ease and able to make a decision? For example, if a person becomes drowsy soon after they have taken their medication this would not be a good time for them to make a decision. Can anyone else help or support the person to understand information or make a choice? For example, a relative, friend or advocate. NWAS Capacity to Consent Policy Page: Page 17 of 38

18 You must remember that if a person makes a decision which you think is eccentric or unwise; this does not necessarily mean that the person lacks capacity to make the decision (Principle 3). When there is reason to believe that a person lacks capacity to make a decision you will be expected to consider the following: Has everything been done to help and support the person to make a decision? Does this decision need to be made without delay? If not, is it possible to wait until the person does have the capacity to make the decision for him or herself? If the person s ability to make a decision still seems questionable then you will need to move onto the next phase of assessing capacity as set out in section 8. 8 Assessing Capacity You should always start from the assumption that the person has capacity to make the decision in question (Principle 1). You should always bear in mind that just because someone lacks capacity to make a decision on one occasion that does not mean that they will never have capacity to make a decision in the future, or about a different matter. There are two questions to be asked if you are assessing a person s capacity. If so: 1. Is there an impairment of, or disturbance in, the functioning of the person s mind or brain? 2. Is the impairment or disturbance sufficient to cause the person to be unable to make that particular decision at the relevant time? This two-stage test must be used, and you must be able to show it has been used. Remember that an unwise decision made by the person does not of itself indicate a lack of capacity. Most people will be able to make most decisions, even when they have a label or diagnosis that may seem to imply that they cannot. This is a general principle that cannot be over-emphasised. NWAS Capacity to Consent Policy Page: Page 18 of 38

19 8.1 When should Capacity be assessed? The MCA makes clear that any assessment of a person s capacity must be decisionspecific, this means that: The assessment of capacity must be about the particular decision that has to be made at a particular time and is not about a range of decisions. If someone cannot make complex decisions this does not mean that they cannot make simple decisions. For example, it is possible that someone with learning disabilities could make decisions about what to wear or eat but not about whether or not they need to live in a care home. You cannot decide that someone lacks capacity based upon their age, appearance, condition or behaviour alone. Example Tom, a man with cerebral palsy, has slurred speech. Sometimes he also falls over for no obvious reason. One day Tom falls in the supermarket. Staff call an ambulance even though he says he is fine. They think he may need treatment after his fall. When the ambulance comes, the ambulance crew know they must not make assumptions about Tom s capacity to decide about treatment, based simply on his condition and the effects of his disability. They talk to him and find that he is capable of making healthcare decisions for himself. 8.2 The test to assess Capacity It is good practice to involve, where possible, family friends and/or carers when assessing a person s capacity. However, it is recognised that this may not always be possible due to the urgent nature of incidents attended by the ambulance service. You should never express an opinion, without first conducting a proper assessment of the person s capacity to make a decision. An assessment that a person lacks capacity to make a decision must never be based simply on: their age their appearance NWAS Capacity to Consent Policy Page: Page 19 of 38

20 assumptions about their condition, or any aspect of their behaviour The Act deliberately uses the word appearance, because it covers all aspects of the way people look. So for example, it includes the physical characteristics of certain conditions (for example, scars, features linked to Down s syndrome or muscle spasms caused by cerebral palsy) as well as aspects of appearance like skin colour, tattoos and body piercings, or the way people dress (including religious dress). The word condition is also wide-ranging. It includes physical disabilities, learning difficulties and disabilities, illness related to age, and temporary conditions (for example, drunkenness or unconsciousness). Aspects of behaviour might include extrovert (for example, shouting or gesticulating) and withdrawn behaviour (for example, talking to yourself or avoiding eye contact). 9 The two stage test of Capacity To help determine if a person lacks capacity to make particular decisions, the Act sets out a two-stage test of capacity. Stage 1: Diagnostic - Does the person have an impairment of, or a disturbance in the functioning of, their mind or brain? Stage 1 requires proof that the person has an impairment of the mind or brain, or some sort of or disturbance that affects the way their mind or brain works. If a person does not have such an impairment or disturbance of the mind or brain, they will not lack capacity under the Act. Examples of an impairment or disturbance in the functioning of the mind or brain may include the following: conditions associated with some forms of mental illness dementia significant learning disabilities the long-term effects of brain damage physical or medical conditions that cause confusion, drowsiness or loss of consciousness delirium concussion following a head injury, and; the symptoms of alcohol or drug use. NWAS Capacity to Consent Policy Page: Page 20 of 38

21 Stage 2: Functional - Does the impairment or disturbance mean that the person is unable to make a specific decision when they need to? For a person to lack capacity to make a decision, the Act says their impairment or disturbance must affect their ability to make the specific decision when they need to. But first people must be given all practical and appropriate support to help them make the decision for themselves. Stage 2 can only apply if all practical and appropriate support to help the person make the decision has failed. In order to decide whether an individual has the mental capacity to make a particular decision, you must first decide whether there is an impairment of, or disturbance in, the functioning of the person s mind or brain (it does not matter if this is permanent or temporary). If so, the second question you must answer is does the impairment or disturbance make the person unable to make the particular decision? The person will be unable to make the particular decision if after all appropriate help and support to make the decision has been given to them (Principle 2) they cannot: 1 Understand the information relevant to that decision, including understanding the likely consequences of making, or not making the decision. 2 Retain that information. 3 Use or weigh that information as part of the process of making the decision 4 Communicate their decision (whether by talking, using sign language or any other means). Every effort should be made to find ways of communicating with someone before deciding that they lack the capacity to make a decision based solely on their inability to communicate. Very few people will lack capacity on this ground alone. Those who do might include people who are unconscious or in a coma. In many other cases such simple actions as blinking or squeezing a hand may be enough to communicate a decision. An assessment must be made on the balance of probabilities - is it more likely than not that the person lacks capacity? You must record fully, on the clinical record, why you have come to the conclusion that the person lacks capacity to make the particular decision. NWAS Capacity to Consent Policy Page: Page 21 of 38

22 10 Best Interests If a person has been assessed as lacking capacity then any action taken, or any decision made for, or on behalf of that person, must be made in their best interests (Principle 4). The person who has to make the decision is known as the decisionmaker. This may be an ambulance service clinician, the carer responsible for the day to day care, or another professional such as a doctor, nurse or social worker What is Best Interests? The law gives a checklist of key factors which you must consider when working out what is in the best interests of a person who lacks capacity (The MCA Code of Practice can provide more information in relation to this): Avoid discrimination It is important not to make assumptions about someone s best interests merely on the basis of the person s age or appearance, condition or any aspect of their behaviour. Identify all relevant circumstances The decision-maker must identify all the things the person would take into account if they were making the decision or acting for themselves. Assess whether the person might regain capacity The decision-maker must consider whether the person is likely to regain capacity (e.g. after receiving medical treatment). If so, can the decision or act wait until then? In emergency situations such as when urgent medical treatment is needed, it may not be possible to wait to see if the person may regain capacity. Encourage participation The decision-maker must involve the person as fully as possible in the decision that is being made on their behalf. If the decision concerns life sustaining treatment The decision-maker must not be motivated by a desire to bring about the person s death. They should not make assumptions about the person s quality of life. NWAS Capacity to Consent Policy Page: Page 22 of 38

23 The decision maker must, where possible, consider: The person s past and present wishes and feelings (in particular if they have been written down). Any beliefs and values (e.g. religious, cultural or moral) that would be likely to influence the decision in question and any other relevant factors. As far as possible the decision-maker must consult other people if it is appropriate to do so and take into account their views as to what would be in the best interests of the person lacking capacity, especially: anyone previously named by the person lacking capacity as someone to be consulted carers, close relatives or close friends or anyone else interested in the person s welfare any attorney appointed under a Lasting Power of Attorney any deputy appointed by the Court of Protection to make decisions for the person. If you are making the decision you must take the above steps, amongst others and weigh up the above factors in order to determine what is in the person s best interests What do I do if there is a Dispute about Best Interests? Family and friends will not always agree about what is in the best interests of an individual. If you are the decision-maker you will need to clearly demonstrate in your record keeping that you have made a decision based on all available evidence and taken into account all the conflicting views. If there is a dispute, the following things might assist you in determining what is in the person s best interests: Involve an advocate who is independent of all the parties involved. Get a second opinion (consider patient s GP, OOH services, or other health professionals or social workers involved in the patient s care). Consider the Police for incidents in public places NWAS Capacity to Consent Policy Page: Page 23 of 38

24 10.3 How does the MCA protect Professionals working in social care? Section 5 of the MCA provides legal protection from liability for carrying out certain actions in connection with the care and treatment of people who lack capacity to consent, provided that: you have observed the principles of the MCA you have carried out an assessment of capacity and reasonably believe that the person lacks capacity in relation to the matter in question you reasonably believe the action you have taken is in the best interests of the person. Some decisions that you make could result in major life changes or have significant consequences for the person concerned and these will need particularly careful consideration. The Trust will support staff that follow this policy and the principles of the MCA. Providing you have complied with the MCA in assessing a person s capacity and have acted in the person s best interests you will be able to diagnose and treat patients who do not have the capacity to give their consent. For example: diagnostic examinations and tests assessments Medical treatment Admission to hospital for assessment or treatment (except for people who are liable to be detained under the Mental Health Act See appendix 2 for information on the difference between the MCA and the Mental Health Act 1983). Emergency procedures (such as IV cannulation, administration of drugs or cardio pulmonary resuscitation). A practitioner will have acted in the best interests of an incapable patient where the treatment she/he gave (or refrained from giving) was in accordance with a practice accepted as proper by a responsible body of medical opinion skilled in the form of treatment. It will be important to keep a full record of what has happened. The protection from liability will only be available if you can demonstrate that you have assessed capacity, reasonably believe it to be lacking and then acted in what you reasonably believe to be in the person s best interests. NWAS Capacity to Consent Policy Page: Page 24 of 38

25 It is the practitioner in charge of a patient s care and treatment who must decide what is in his/her best interests. The patient s spouse or his/her family, friends or colleagues cannot give or withhold consent to treatment on the patient s behalf. However, what they have to say may be useful in deciding where his/her best interests lie. Reasonable force may be used to ensure that a patient receives medical treatment that is in his/her best interests. This must be balanced with against the risk to the patient of further injury and also the risk of injury to the crew. In emergencies, it will often be in a person s best interests for you to provide urgent treatment without delay. 11 The use of Physical Intervention Issues relating to restraint can be of particular concern. Physical intervention covers a wide range of actions, including the use, or threat, of force to do something that the person concerned resists, for example by using ambulance stretcher sides or confining people s movements or a restriction of his or her liberty of movement (falling short of a restriction that would deprive them of their liberty). The MCA identifies two additional conditions which must be satisfied in order for protection from liability for restraint to be available: You must reasonably believe that it is necessary to restrain the person who lacks capacity in order to prevent them coming to harm. Any restraint must be reasonable and in proportion to the potential harm. Using excessive restraint could leave you liable to a range of civil and criminal penalties. For instance, it may be necessary to accompany someone when going out because they cannot cross roads safely, but it may be unreasonable for you to stop them from going outdoors all together. NWAS Capacity to Consent Policy Page: Page 25 of 38

26 12 Capacity Assessment Process: Assessing Capacity A person must be assumed to have capacity unless it is established that he lacks capacity (Mental Capacity Act 2005). Ambulance staff frequently attend incidents where patients refuse examination, treatment or transport. Often this can cause problems with what subsequent actions are required to ensure that the patient receives the most appropriate care. Also, it is not clear whether these patients have had capacity or not. Ambulance staff must use the Trust Capacity Assessment process when: Or A patient refuses examination/treatment and/or transport to hospital. Following initial clinical assessment, the patient s capacity to consent to treatment is questionable. Staff safety is paramount. If a patient is verbally or physically abusive then you are not expected to complete the assessment process. You must withdraw to a safe point and consider the need for requesting Police assistance. Patients must be willing to participate in the assessment process. They cannot be forced. If a patient does refuse to participate then it should be fully documented in the clinical record and counter signed by a witness or the second crew member. The Capacity Assessment process has been developed using a combination of the following: Initial clinical assessment process (Diagnostic Stage) A cognitive function test, based on components of the Mini Mental State Examination (part of Diagnostic Stage). The functional test of capacity using five key questions (part of the Functional Stage): 1. Does the person have a general understanding of what decision they need to make and why they need to make it? 2. Do they understand the consequences of making, or not making, the decision, or of deciding one way or another? 3. Are they able to understand and weigh up the relative importance of the information relevant to the decision? 4. Can they use and retain the information as part of the decision-making process? 5. Can they communicate their decision? NWAS Capacity to Consent Policy Page: Page 26 of 38

27 When undertaking the assessment staff must explain the process in a clear and understandable manner, appropriate to the individual. Any communication difficulties or requirements must be identified and considered prior to the assessment. It is important to remember that even patients with a mental illness can still have capacity. Following a patient s refusal of treatment there is a responsibility upon the clinician and Trust to ensure that the duty of care has been safely and appropriately delegated. There are various situations when this might occur, including out of hours, in hours, public places and private dwellings. 13 Role of Police The following information is an extract from the Association of Chief Police Officers guidance on the Mental Capacity Act The Act will be of primary importance to policing when officers deal with someone lacking mental capacity in an emergency situation, whose life may be at risk or who may suffer harm if action is not taken. Obvious situations will include people attempting and threatening suicide, victims of serious assaults and casualties following major incidents. In practice there may be many more examples. Police occasionally come across individuals with serious injuries that may result in serious harm or death, but who decline medical aid. If such a person has the mental capacity to make this decision there is no power to compel her/him to accept medical treatment. If an officer reasonably believes that a person lacks mental capacity then the Act will apply and that person may be treated in their best interests. Officers must always weigh up the risks of forcing help on an unwilling person against the benefits it may offer. Unlike medical and ambulance personnel, police officers are not trained in the assessment of mental capacity. Where police are the only service on scene it may be necessary to make an assessment and act accordingly before other services arrive, where the seriousness or urgency of the situation dictates. When a doctor, member of the ambulance service or other appropriate service arrives on scene, or is already present, police will defer to their expertise and provide support as appropriate. Any power to restrain a person as a result of the MCA 2005 does not interfere with any existing powers of arrest for criminal offences, or under S136 Mental Health Act NWAS Capacity to Consent Policy Page: Page 27 of 38

28 If a person has capacity there is no power to treat them without their consent, but that someone who is attempting suicide may be suffering from a mental illness that affects their capacity, and someone who has suffered physical injuries may have their capacity affected by pain or shock. Where you reasonably believe that someone lacks capacity you may act to save life or prevent harm to them. Where time permits, you should take all practical and appropriate steps to help the person make the decision themselves to prevent death or serious harm. These might include offering practical assistance with childcare, securing of their property etc. On attendance at any incident where a patient is deemed to lack capacity it is important to remember that this is not an automatic trigger to call for police attendance. Police attendance should only be requested when a patient is presenting with exceptionally aggressive/violent behaviour (their behaviour has gone beyond what the crew can manage), AND after all attempts to persuade the patient to travel have failed. A joint policy is in place between NWAS and the police forces of the North West: The North West Regional Mental Capacity Act Joint Protocol which sets out agreed processes for joint agency working. 14 Policy Review The NWAS Capacity to Consent Policy will be reviewed every three years. However, should national guidance or legislation change then the policy may be reviewed earlier. As part of the policy review process, the effectiveness of the policy and its application will be assessed. Information and results from audit systems, adverse incidents, user feedback and external audits/reviews will be used to inform this assessment. 15 Monitoring Compliance Capacity to Consent Audit appears on the NWAS Clinical Audit Plan as part of the Safety Monitoring report. The compliance to following capacity to consent procedures is audited on an annual basis. Feedback and quality improvement is led by the Clinical Leadership structure with support from the clinical governance team. NWAS Capacity to Consent Policy Page: Page 28 of 38