Following the success of this course in 2018, this study day develops the themes of how good practice should look in relation to palliative and hospice settings. The Mental Capacity Act 2005 can be seen as an aspirational piece of legislation, it remains a challenge for professionals to ensure that the principles and guidance around best practice are followed in a consistent, person-centred, way.
There are many challenges to best practice – with capacity at end of life continuing to be a particular area of challenge due to the combined impact of illness, medication, and prevalence of fluctuating ability to make decisions.
This study day aims to introduce an overview of the challenges, whilst also providing the opportunity to consider what best practice looks like – from assessment, best interests and on to Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. The course draws upon the learning collected from the hundreds of decision specific capacity assessments, best interest meetings and the applications for specific patient DOLs made by St Christopher’s social workers.
There will be consideration of relevant case law, and the interplay between capacity and other legislative frameworks including the Care Act 2014 (with particular reference to the interface with Adult Safeguarding) and the Mental Health Act 1983.
There will be chance for learning to be applied in reference to a case study, culminating in a plenary session where delegates share their own thoughts, learning and experience.
The day will conclude with a question and answer session, which will allow delegates to devise an ongoing plan regarding their own personal learning needs.
The day will cover the following areas:
This study day is for professionals from any setting working with patients who are approaching end of life. It will be of particular interest to those who are responsible for assessing mental capacity and deprivation of liberty safeguards.
We will hear from leaders in the field including:
| 9.00 | ARRIVE, REGISTRATION AND REFRESHMENTS |
| 9.30 | Welcome and Introduction
Vincent Docherty, Head of Patient and Family Support, St Christopher’s |
| 9.45 | Opening Comments
Professor Rob George, Medical Director, St Christopher’s |
| 10.15 | Overview of MCA and DoLS Case Law
Alex Ruck Keene, Barrister, 39 Essex Chambers |
| 11.45 | BREAK |
| 12.00 | Working with patients who self-neglect and have fluctuating capacity.
A reflection on the challenges of being the decision maker at best interest meetings Dr Emma Hall, Consultant in Palliative Medicine, St Christopher’s |
| 12.30 | The specific needs of people with delirium in frailty.
Its significance and relevance in relation to decision specific capacity assessments for practitioners Professor Caroline Nicholson, Palliative Care & Ageing, University of Surrey; St Christopher’s |
| 1.15 | LUNCH AND BOOKSHOP |
| 2.00 | Simulated best interest meeting
Alex Ruck Keene, Barrister, 39 Essex Chambers Professor Rob George, Medical Director, St Christopher’s Vincent Docherty, Head of Patient and Family Support, St Christopher’s Sally Mercer, PhD Student and Association of Palliative Care Social Workers Helen Scott, Palliative Care Nurse Lecturer, St Christopher’s |
| 3.00 | Workshop 1 – Understanding and working with delirium
Professor Caroline Nicholson, Palliative Care & Ageing, University of Surrey; St Christopher’s Workshop 2 – Working with integrated health and social work teams and the role of decision makers and chairs in acknowledging and resolving conflict during best interest meetings Dr Emma Hall, Consultant in Palliative Medicine, St Christopher’s Vincent Docherty, Head of Patient and Family Support, St Christopher’s Workshop 3 – The future use of the LPS at the End of Life Alex Ruck Keene, Barrister, 39 Essex Chambers |
| 4.00 | Feedback from workshops |
| 4.15 | Closing Remarks and Evaluations |
| 4.45 | Finish |
If you have any questions about this or any of our other courses, please contact the Education team who will be happy to help
At St Christopher's, a registered charity, it is important for us to maximise any surpluses to reinvest in the objectives of the charity.
Unfortunately, the manner in which we undertake our training currently means we are not able to invest as much of our surplus as possible, therefore from the 1 December 2017, St Christopher’s Education Centre will charge VAT at the standard rate on our training courses, the reason for this change in pricing is twofold:
i) We want to be able to reinvest any surpluses made from training back into all of our charitable objectives rather than only Education
ii) We want to be able to reclaim the VAT on costs relating to developing and running the training courses