Mental capacity advocacy
A placement to meet his needs
RT was an elderly man who was placed from his own home into a care home to receive 24 hour care. The social worker felt that staff of the care home were not providing the level of care for this man and decided to give notice on his placement and identified another care home for him to move to.
After notice was given, the social worker referred for an IMCA (Independent Mental Capacity Advocate). Because it was very close to the time of the notice running out the IMCA had to make sure that the man was able to stay longer than the notice period allowed to ensure that the proposed move was in the best interest of the client.
The IMCA liaised closely with the social worker to obtain her concerns, visited the client to try and take his instructions and carefully looked at the care plans and any recorded problems the staff were experiencing. Fortunately in this case the identified new placement was in the best interest of the client and the client has received the type of 24 hour care that he requires to meet his needs. The social worker was unaware of the process but has taken this on board and fortunately the least restrictive option was found for the client and he was moved taking into consideration that a transition plan would be needed.
