Mental Capacity Nvq

However, the misery is still not over. Even if the term “chronic neurological disability” had been added under the draft bill of the Act4, the procedure of “labeling” a person with disability is still not consistent with the new definition of “disability”, especially when it comes to assessment of the mental capacity.

Mental capacity is a multidimensional construct and a central determinant of an individual's ability to make autonomous decisions6. Mental capacity refers to the ability through which an individual:
• Understands information provided to him/her.
• Retains that information long enough to be able to make the decision.
• Weighs the information available to make the decision.
• Communicates their decision.
• Performs particular tasks ranging from routine activities to specific duties. …show more content…
The entire act is based on following five principles for assessment of mental capacity7: • Principle 1: Capacity should always be assumed. A patient's diagnosis, behavior, or appearance should not lead you to presume the capacity is absent.
• Principle 2: A person's ability to make decisions must be optimized before concluding that capacity is absent. All practicable steps must be taken, such as giving sufficient time for assessments; repeating assessments if capacity is fluctuating; and if relevant, using interpreters, sign language, or