Saturday, March 11, 2017

Mary Donnelly on Policy and Principles in the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015


Mary Donnelly - Casey Photography 
This a summary of the presentation by Mary Donnelly to the Legal Capacity Conference 2016 at University College Cork. The summary was written by Joanna Ralston.

More information on the Legal Capacity Conference - http://imhla.ie/events/.

Slides and videos from the conference –

http://www.ucc.ie/law/docs/mentalhealth/conferences/capacity-2016.shtml

Mary Donnelly is a Professor at the School of Law, University College Cork.  The title of her presentation was ‘Policy and Principles in the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015’.

Professor Donnelly highlighted some of the policy issues and principles contained in the 2015 Act. She stated that she had some very serious concerns about resources and how we are going to face the challenge of giving this Act effect in reality.
Professor Donnelly spoke about the fact that there will be many stumbling blocks along the way but that yet there is also a lot of potential in the Act.
In referring to some of the principles of the Act, Professor Donnelly spoke about the looseness of the language contained in the Act. She asked, how are these principles going to be given effect in practice?
Professor Donnelly referred to the Act as being complex containing 146 sections. Implementation of the Act will require extensive regulations and codes of practice. Professor Donnelly was of the view that she would like to see a provision contained in the Code of Practice that would enable us to see and to know how the Act is working in practice.

Mary Donnelly’s slides:
http://www.ucc.ie/law/docs/mentalhealth/conferences/11.00-Mary-Donnelly.pdf

Video of Mary Donnelly’s Presentation

[Photos by Casey Photography]

Friday, March 10, 2017

Peter Bartlett on Implementation of Capacity Legislation

Peter Bartlett -    Casey Photography 
This a summary of the presentation by Peter Bartlett to the Legal Capacity Conference 2016 at University College Cork. The summary was written by Joanna Ralston.

More information on the Legal Capacity Conference - http://imhla.ie/events/.

Slides and videos from the conference –

http://www.ucc.ie/law/docs/mentalhealth/conferences/capacity-2016.shtml

Professor Peter Bartlett is Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust Professor of Mental Health Law, University of Nottingham.  The title of his presentation was ‘Capacity Legislation and the Challenges of Implementation’.

Professor Bartlett in referring to the experience in the UK in implementing the Mental Capacity Act 2005 highlighted some of the problems that occurred, some of which may be relevant in the Irish context. The Act has not permeated into the professional population, service users, carers or the general population and is not relied upon very much despite a lot of cash resources being put into its implementation.

The Act has not integrated into the professional culture. Professor Bartlett was of the view that we may have difficulty also in Ireland getting traction for the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 and it is something that we are going to have to resource properly.

Professor Bartlett referred to the problem of scale given that capacity issues can virtually cover decisions in any setting. Associated with this problem is how it is possible to get the statute embedded into the way we think so that it becomes more than a tick box exercise. Phrases likes changing professional ethos sound great but how in practical terms is this to be achieved?

How can the Act be successfully implemented from a family perspective? It is difficult to ensure that the family as a unit can function; it is more than just about the Act, it is also about the other family members and how to ensure that those who are most vulnerable are being protected.

He discussed the flexibility of the language in the Act and how much weight should be attached to the language in the Act. he asked, how can “wishes and preferences” be accommodated? In the Irish context the Act refers to will and preferences in circumstances which are “practical”. This raises the questions as to who decides what is practical?

He raised the issue of professional colonization which in his view in the UK is largely by social workers and to some degree medics. The experience in the UK has been that if testing capacity is controversial then it is largely dealt with by professionals. The Act in the UK to a certain extent has allowed professionals to do what professionals want to do. He referred to “collegiate” decision-making where no one has personal responsibility for the decision being taken where families can be pushed aside despite the existence of best interests.

Professor Bartlett also referred to the issue of the courts and the inherent delays in the Court process and that this is not an option for poor people.

Finally, Professor Bartlett referred to the role of the relevant person in Court. The issue here is: can this person give evidence in Court and how should a Judge deal with this person?

Peter Bartlett’s slides: http://www.ucc.ie/law/docs/mentalhealth/conferences/10.10-Peter-Bartlett.pdf

Video of Peter Bartlett’s presentation.

[Photos by Casey Photography]

Thursday, March 09, 2017

Call for Papers/Panels for 2017 SLS Annual Conference at University College Dublin




Society of Legal Scholars (SLS)

Call for Papers/Panels for 2017 SLS Annual Conference at University College Dublin

The call for papers and panels for the 2017 SLS Annual Conference, to be held at University College Dublin from Tuesday 5th September – Friday 8th September, is now open.

This year's theme is ‘The Diverse Unities of Law’
Deadline for submissions:  Monday 27th March 2017.

In addition to our established subject sections, we are also running ‘trial’ sessions on Conflict of Laws and Energy Law this year, as there is interest in creating new sections in these two areas.

Further details about the call and how to respond can be found here:  http://www.slsconference.uk/call-for-papers
--
Dr. Desmond Ryan
Visiting Fellow,
Exeter College Oxford,
0X1 3DP,
United Kingdom.
desmond.ryan@law.ox.ac.uk