Abstract
Aims and MethodPostal questionnaires were sent out to 66 learning disability psychiatrists to assess their knowledge and experience of the Mental Capacity Act 2005.ResultsA response rate of 55% (n = 36) was achieved; 22 (61%) respondents felt that patient care had improved; 16 (44%) felt workload had increased. Despite 79% (n = 23) of the respondents feeling that the training for the Act was adequate, only 19% (n = 7) were aware of the situations where patients had to be referred to the Independent Mental Capacity Advocate (IMCA) service and only 53% (n = 19) were aware that the Act currently does not cover patients who fall in the ‘Bournewood gap’.Clinical ImplicationsLearning disability psychiatrists are still not conversant with significant parts of the Act and this raises questions about the adequacy of the training delivered. Implementing the Act should improve patient care but will have implications for the workload of professionals.
Highlights
Traditional dual training appears to be under threat and adaptations need to be made to the new structure of postgraduate training to allow trainees to develop the necessary competencies across specialties
The rhetoric surrounding MMC promised greater flexibility of training and it is of paramount importance that this is developed in order for trainees to achieve the broad and diverse range of competencies that are required by these developing services
Despite 79% (n = 23) of the respondents feeling that the training for the Act was adequate, only 19% (n = 7) were aware of the situations where patients had to be referred to the Independent Mental CapacityAdvocate (IMCA) service and only 53% (n = 19) were aware that the Act currently does not cover patients who fall in the ‘Bournewood gap’
Summary
We designed a questionnaire consisting of ten questions to ascertain the knowledge and experiences of learning disability psychiatrists about the Act. The questionnaire was anonymous but we asked for basic demographic information on grade and the work place. Learning disability psychiatrists (consultants, specialist registrars, and staff grades and associate specialists) working in the region of the Eastern Deanery (Essex, Middlesex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk) and in the Ridgeway Partnership Trust (counties of Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Wiltshire and Swindon) were approached. Questionnaires were not sent out to junior trainees as it was felt they would not have enough experience in the specialty to respond to the questionnaire. 66 postal questionnaires were sent out in December 2007
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