Assessment of Mental Capacity: Guidance for doctors and lawyers -- Contents -- Acknowledgements -- List of cases -- List of statutes -- List of statutory instruments -- Part I Introduction -- 1 The law, practice, and this book -- 1.1 What is capacity? -- 1.2 The need to define capacity -- 1.3 Proposals for law reform -- 1.4 How to use this book -- 1.5 Scope of this book -- 1.6 Where to obtain further advice -- 2 Professional and ethical issues -- 2.1 Capacity to instruct a solicitor -- 2.2 Confidentiality -- 2.3 Creating the right environment for assessing capacity -- 2.4 Refusal to be assessed -- 2.5 People assessed as lacking capacity -- 2.6 Summary of points for doctors -- 2.7 Summary of points for lawyers -- Part II Legal principles -- 3 What are the legal principles? -- 3.1 Capacity and the role of the courts -- 3.2 Capacity and the law of evidence -- 3.3 Practical suggestions for solicitors instructing doctors -- 3.4 Practical suggestions for doctors receiving instructions from solicitors -- 3.5 Witnessing documents -- Part III Legal tests of capacity -- 4 Capacity to deal with financial affairs -- 4.1 Powers of attorney -- 4.2 Capacity to manage property and affairs -- 4.3 Capacity to claim and receive social security benefits -- 4.4 Protection from financial abuse -- 5 Capacity to make a will -- 5.1 Introduction -- 5.2 Testamentary capacity -- 5.3 Supervening incapacity -- 5.4 The need for medical evidence - the "golden rule" -- 5.5 Checklist -- 5.6 Capacity to revoke a will -- 5.7 Statutory wills -- 6 Capacity to make a gift -- 6.1 Introduction -- 6.2 The test of capacity -- 6.3 Checklist -- 6.4 Gifts made by attorneys -- 6.5 Gifts made on behalf of Court of Protection patients -- 6.6 Risk of financial abuse -- 7 Capacity to litigate -- 7.1 Introduction -- 7.2 The test of capacity -- 7.3 Applying the test.

7.4 The representative in legal proceedings -- 7.5 Implications of incapacity -- 8 Capacity to enter into a contract -- 8.1 Introduction -- 8.2 General rules -- 8.3 Voidable contracts -- 8.4 Necessaries -- 8.5 Proposals for law reform -- 8.6 Court of Protection patients -- 8.7 Checklist -- 9 Capacity to vote -- 9.1 Entitlement to vote -- 9.2 Legal incapacity to vote -- 9.3 Eligibility for registration -- 9.4 At the polling station -- 9.5 Postal and proxy voting -- 9.6 Conclusion -- 10 Capacity and personal relationships -- 10.1 Right to form relationships -- 10.2 Family relationships -- 10.3 Sexual relationships -- 10.4 Capacity to consent to marriage -- 10.5 Capacity to separate or divorce -- 10.6 Conclusion -- 11 Capacity to consent: the criminal law and sexual offences -- 11.1 Proposed changes to the law -- 11.2 Giving evidence in court -- 11.3 Conclusion -- 12 Capacity to consent to and refuse medical treatment -- 12.1 Medical procedures -- 12.2 The need for patient consent -- 12.3 Capacity to consent to medical procedures -- 12.4 Treatment of adults lacking capacity to consent -- 12.5 Capacity to make anticipatory decisions -- 12.6 Confidentiality -- 12.7 Access to records -- 13 Capacity to consent to research and innovative treatment -- 13.1 Introduction -- 13.2 Research governance -- 13.3 Capacity to consent to research -- 13.4 Research involving incompetent adults -- 13.5 Innovative treatment -- 13.6 Proposals for law reform -- Part IV Practical aspects of the assessment of capacity -- 14 Practical guidelines for doctors -- 14.1 Introduction -- 14.2 Defining capacity -- 14.3 The doctor's role -- 14.4 A systematic approach to assessing capacity -- 14.5 The mental state in relation to capacity -- 14.6 Personality disorders -- 14.7 The duty to enhance mental capacity -- 14.8 Retrospective assessment -- 14.9 General guidance.

15 Practical guidelines for lawyers -- 15.1 Introduction -- 15.2 Who should assess the person? -- 15.3 Psychiatric diagnoses -- 15.4 Medical assessment of mental conditions -- Appendices -- Appendix A Case studies -- Appendix B The Official Solicitor -- Appendix C Practice Note (Official Solicitor: Declaratory Proceedings: Medical and welfare decisions for adults who Lack Capacity) -- Appendix D Practice Note (Official Solicitor: Appointment in Family Proceedings) -- Appendix E Medical certificate for the Official Solicitor with guidance notes -- Appendix F Medical certificate for the Court of Protection with notes for guidance -- Appendix G Sample letter: Test of capacity -- Useful addresses -- Further reading -- Index.